SXU Nursing Professor Presents at International Nursing Symposium
Saint Xavier University (SXU) nursing professor Zepure Samawi, Ph.D., recently traveled to Istanbul, Turkey, to participate in the International Nursing Symposium at the Koç University School of Nursing. The symposium fosters innovation, knowledge, exchange, and collaboration in nursing education, clinical practice and research. The symposium was attended by the Honorable Mrs. Semahat Arsel, director of Koç Holding and founder of the Koç University School of Nursing. Invited by Dean Duygu Gözen, Ph.D., Samawai was asked to serve as a speaker and introduce the methodology of concept mapping in nursing programs.
Dr. Samawi's project, "Using Concept Mapping in Patient Care Planning," was presented to the nursing dean, administrators, faculty, nurses, undergraduate and graduate students. Samawi shared her teaching experience with using concept mapping in simulation, including translating research on teaching methodology into evidence-based teaching for improved patient care outcomes. Her presentation fostered enriching discussions and professional exchanges that attendees highly valued.
"The International Nursing Symposium was a very enriching experience, intertwining the significance of nursing education, clinical practice and nursing research in strengthening the education of nurses globally. I was energized to learn that Koç University nursing faculty were enthusiastic about incorporating concept mapping into their teaching and simulation. International nursing collaboration brings educational strength to university nursing programs," said Samawi.
Samawi is a distinguished expert on the use of concept mapping as metacognitive pedagogy in nursing education, patient care planning and simulation. Her dissertation focused on the effect of concept mapping as a teaching and learning strategy on students' critical thinking skills. Samawi's published research on the methodology of concept mapping affirms the benefit of using concept mapping in enhancing nursing students' critical thinking skills, clinical reasoning and clinical judgment. Samawi is actively involved in developing the capability of nursing faculty and nursing students in using concept mapping nationally and internationally.
"One of my main goals as an educator and researcher is to contribute to the advancement of nursing education, research and practice globally. The global nurse needs to learn how to use critical thinking skills and metacognition. Concept mapping has been developed in the U.S. over the last two decades and is used as a teaching and learning strategy in nursing education and is now being used in nursing programs in other countries. Across the globe, critical thinking, clinical reasoning and clinical judgment is an expected outcome of all nursing graduates," said Samawi.
Samawi has conducted prior nursing study abroad trips to Turkey, where she has built a sustainable international collaboration with the nursing faculty at Florence Nightingale School and Koç University. She is grateful to Dean Gözen, SXU Dean Charlene Bermele, DNP, and the Sigma Theta Tau Alpha Omicron Chapter for their support of this international collaboration.