Advancing Nursing Practice in Vietnam: An International Collaboration to Improve Quality

International partnerships offer opportunities for healthcare professionals to promote evidence-based nursing in underdeveloped countries. When international collaboration is utilized among nurses in developing countries the clinical outcomes may be improved. This project focused on collaboration with nurse colleagues in Hanoi, Vietnam to support an internally identified quality improvement process and leadership development. Collaboration occurred in a large inpatient medical center between the author and nursing shared governance team members representing the General Surgical, Neuro Surgical, and Intensive Care Units. The nursing collaboration over 9 months concluded with an onsite visit by 5 members of a diverse group from the United States. The shared governance team reported an overall increase in nursing knowledge and skill regarding urinary catheter maintenance and care.