Nancy Arthur

Role understanding and effective communication as core competencies for collaborative practice

The ability to work with professionals from other disciplines to deliver collaborative, patient-centred care is considered a critical element of professional practice requiring a specific set of competencies. However, a generally accepted framework for collaborative competencies is missing, which makes consistent preparation of students and staff challenging. Some authors have argued that there is a lack of conceptual clarity of the “active ingredients” of collaboration relating to quality of care and patient outcomes, which may be at the root of the competencies issue. As part of a large Health Canada funded study focused on interprofessional education and collaborative practice, our goal was to understand the competencies for collaborative practice that are considered most relevant by health professionals working at the front line. Interview participants comprised 60 health care providers from various disciplines. Understanding and appreciating professional roles and responsibilities and communicating effectively emerged as the two perceived core competencies for patient-centred collaborative practice. For both competencies there is evidence of a link to positive patient and provider outcomes. We suggest that these two competencies should be the primary focus of student and staff education aimed at increasing collaborative practice skills.

Using critical incidents to investigate cross-cultural transitions

Abstract The process of cross-cultural transition is of interest to researchers who attempt to uncover factors that lead to sojourner adjustment and cross-cultural effectiveness. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the perceived stressors and coping strategies of Canadian post-secondary students during a 7-week cross-cultural Seminar program in Vietnam. Using a critical incidents methodology, the study tracked both the common and unique experiences of students. Specific critical incidents were collected from students at six time points regarding experiences that were stressful, selected coping strategies, use of social support, shifting views of self and perspectives about international development. Results from the study are discussed with suggestions for pre-departure training programs and the use of critical incidents as a tool for understanding cross-cultural transitions.

Connecting career management to repatriation adjustment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an examination of Black et al.’s theoretical framework of repatriation adjustment as it relates to career planning for employees with international work experience.Design/methodology/approach – The approach combines narrative with argument and analysis.Findings – This paper expands on re‐entry adjustment to include additional research on repatriation, and discusses the utility of these theoretical propositions for individual and organizational career planning.Research limitations/implications – Suggestions for future research include repatriation strategies, incorporating concepts from the literature on other life transitions, and the importance of recognizing psychological variables in work adjustment.Originality/value – Implications for career development are also discussed to help employees and career counsellors understand the impact of working internationally and to help organizations design ways to help employees integrate their expertise and experie...

Counseling International Students in Canadian Schools

International students face many demands as they navigate the cross-cultural transition of living and learning in host countries such as Canada. The cultural diversity represented in this student population poses unique challenges for multicultural counseling. The ways that international students have been represented in the literature may contribute to barriers for effective counseling services. The discussion begins with a summary of the issues faced by international students when living and learning in a foreign country. Several limitations in the counseling literature about international students are addressed, including, the limitations of culture shock as a model of cross cultural transition, the lack of methodological diversity in research involving international students, a focus on group characteristics, and the continued emphasis on the problems experienced by international students. Suggestions for counselors are given to enhance their multicultural counseling competencies for working with international students.

Culture-infused counselling: A fresh look at a classic framework of multicultural counselling competencies

This paper provides an historical overview of discussions of competency for counselling practice across cultures and critiques the current frameworks of multicultural counselling competencies. A rationale is provided for a more inclusive definition of culture, a means of integrating additional domains of practice, and a shift away from the narrow focus on strategies and techniques. A new model of culture-infused counselling is proposed that is centered on the working alliance between counsellors and clients. It is argued that the concept of the working alliance is a pantheoretical and superordinate construct that provides a more sound organizational structure for the competency frameworks. Intervention strategies and techniques may then be assessed in terms of their contribution to the purposeful and collaborative work that characterizes a culturally sensitive working alliance. This conceptual shift has implications for the articulation of specific attitudes and beliefs, knowledge, and skills that contribute to multicultural counselling competence.

Culture-infused counselling: A model for developing multicultural competence

Cultural, personal, contextual, and universal factors integrate to form the personal cultural identities of both the counsellor and the client. These personal cultural identities may have a dramatic impact on the success of the counselling process and must be taken into account in both theory and practice. The culture-infused counselling model builds on the concept of personal cultural identity to form a conceptual framework for enhancing the multicultural competence of practitioners and for optimizing therapeutic outcomes with a wide range of clientele. The specific attitudes, knowledge, and skills required for multicultural competence are described, expanding upon and enhancing earlier theoretical conceptualizations of multicultural counselling competencies. This detailed elaboration of specific multicultural counselling competencies provides a foundation for counsellor education and continued professional development.

Intercultural inquiry with pre‐service teachers

This study examines the intercultural competence of pre‐service teachers and ways to prepare them for responding to the needs of diverse student populations. In this study, pre‐service teachers provided critical incidents to describe experiences of meaningful events in their on‐campus and field‐placement learning related to intercultural competence. Data were collected through focus‐group interviews and written questionnaires. Findings indicate pre‐service teachers’ multiple and sometimes contradictory understandings of diversity, the importance of self‐examination and reflection in the process of intercultural inquiry, and a disconnection between theory and practice. Results demonstrate the positioning of diversity within the ‘other’ in contrast to approaching diversity as learning about self and others. Implications for supporting students to explore diversity through reflective practice during pre‐service education are also discussed.

A Cultural Formulation Approach to Career Counseling With International Students

Career counselors are challenged to consider the cultural validity of the theories and models that guide their practice. The cultural formulation approach is proposed as an organizing framework for career counselors to consider cultural influences on their clients’ career issues, related interventions, and the working alliance. The discussion illustrates the application of cultural formulation for career counseling with international students. A case study details common transition issues faced by international students, while exploring unique aspects of cultural identity. The case study illustrates how the cultural-formulation approach may be strengthened by incorporating a relational theoretical orientation as seen through a feminist lens to examine a client’s multiple identities, such as the intersections of gender, ethnicity, and social class.

Social justice and career development: Looking back, looking forward

Social justice has underpinned career development work since its inception. Over time however, while awareness of social justice issues has been retained, the focus of intervention has largely remained individual. Further, career theory has been criticised for its lack of attention to cultural influences such as gender, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation, in peoples career development. In this regard, progress has been made to the extent that multicultural and diversity competencies have been identified and elaborated. However, such competencies maintain a predominant focus on interventions with individuals and there have been calls for career development to identify social justice competencies which necessarily suggest different roles and levels of intervention for career development practitioners. As the implications of globalisation become more apparent and societal inequity is perpetuated, it is timely to revisit the social justice origins of career development and consider how career development may position itself in the 21st century. This paper examines social justice in career development theory and practice, and considers implications for career development practitioners.

Key Relationships for International Student University-to-Work Transitions:

International student research predominantly focuses on the initial and middle stages of their sojourn. Our research, however, specifically addresses how relationships support international students to successfully navigate the late-stage transition from university to work. In this qualitative study, we interviewed 18 international students from diverse cultures, ages, and professions with an emphasis on their last year of university and 3 years post-graduation. We found six major themes: (a) building strong friendships supported the decision to stay, (b) career decision making is a group effort, (c) relationships with supervisors and mentors led to career opportunities, (d) establishing relational networks helped with finding first job, (e) developing connections early in their programs helped in the transition, and (f) mentoring from international alumni would provide role models. We discuss the importance of key relationships for international student success and how relationships are embedded in career decision making. Finally, we provide recommendations for career counselors.