BACKGROUND: Rapid changes in healthcare and science have enhanced the need for international educational experiences (IEE). Despite the importance of IEE in healthcare, there is a lack of literature in this area of research specifically relating to respiratory therapy. Therefore, it is important to assess the perceived impact of IEE in the United States on RT students in order to evaluate the need for developing international educational opportunities in the field of respiratory therapy. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess Saudi RT international students’ perception of the impact of IEE on their lives experiences. METHODS: Data were collected through a descriptive survey using a modified version of the international education survey (IES). The survey was emailed to all RT members of the Saudi Society for Respiratory Care (SSRC). Four main dimensions were assessed: Professional RT role, global understanding, personal development, and intellectual development. Excluded from the study were non-Saudi RTs and RTs with no IEE from the United States. RESULTS: Nineteen responses met the exclusion criteria of the study and were excluded. The total adjusted number of participants was sixty-two (n=62) out of (N=534) emailed surveys. The study response rate was 15.17%. Just over half of participants hold a graduate degree in RT while 48.4% hold an undergraduate degree in RT. Female participants accounted for 12.9% of all participants while male participants accounted for 87.1%. The study revealed that “professional RT role” was the most impacted area of IEE for RT undergraduate students (M 5.48, ± 1.4). The study showed that “global understanding” was the most impacted area of IEE for graduate RT students (M 5.4, SD of ± 0.84). The study findings showed that there is a moderately significant positive correlation between the duration of IEEs and the impact of RT professional role (r=0.426; p=0.001). Moreover, the study findings indicated that IEEs had a higher but insignificant influence on former international RT students’ perceptions of impact than current students. Conclusion: IEE had a large overall impact on participant’s lives experiences. The study findings support the value of promoting IEEs in the United States for RT students due to its perceived positive impact on internationalization of healthcare. Further studies with higher number of participants, different cultural backgrounds, and different IEE destinations is recommended.

Studiens syfte var att undersöka hur socionomer upplever att deras kompetens inom socialt arbete påverkats genom VFU utomlands. Två frågeställningar formulerades; vilka kompetenser socionomer upplevde sig ha utvecklat under VFU utomlands samt hur kompetenserna användes i det dagliga arbetet. Empirin kom från fem semistrukturerade intervjuer med yrkesverksamma socionomer. Datamaterialet analyserades med en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat analyserades mot en teoretisk referensram och kunskapsöversikt. Den teoretiska referensramen bestod av två teorier med olika definitioner av kompetens. Studiens resultat och analys visar att VFU utomlands är en möjlighet för socionomstudenter att få erfarenhet av att arbeta med socialt arbete utomlands. Erfarenheten upplevs generellt inte vara användbar i det dagliga arbetet. Dock framkommer efter analys flertalet kompetenser. Upplevelsen ger förståelse för internationellt socialt arbete och klienters erfarenheter av segregering. Studenter utvecklar bland annat sin förmåga till flexibilitet, lyhördhet och initiativtagande. Utlandspraktik kan vara socionomstudenters första erfarenhet av klientarbete och utvecklar därför deras kommunikationsförmåga, så som samtalsmetodik. Risken finns att utlandspraktik spär på studenters fördomar om andra länder än Sverige. / The purpose of this study was to investigate how social workers feel that their competence in social work has been affected through international placement. Two issues were formulated; what competencies social workers felt they had developed during international placement and how the competencies were used in their daily work. The data came from five semi-structured interviews with professional social workers. The data material was analyzed with a qualitative content analysis. Results were analyzed against a theoretical frame of reference and knowledge overview. The theoretical frame of reference consisted of two theories with different definitions of competence. The results and analysis of the study show that international placement is an opportunity for social work students to gain experience of working with social work abroad. The experience is generally not perceived to be useful in daily work. However, after analysis, several competencies emerged. The experience provides an understanding of international social work and clients' experiences of segregation. Among other things, students develop their ability for flexibility, sensitivity and initiative. International placement can be social work students' first experience of client work and therefore develop their communication skills, such as conversation methodology. There is a risk that international placement adds to students' prejudices about countries other than Sweden.