This study analyzes Japanese nursing students’ perceptions before and after completing an international nursing practicum (INP).
  Students implementing INP in a developing country completed an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. Results were analyzed using statistical and qualitative methods.
  66 students completed the pre-practicum questionnaire and 23 completed the post-practicum questionnaire.
  As a result of perceptions regarding INP, three factors “interest in international nursing,” “knowledge necessary for international nursing,” and “understanding of the characteristics of international nursing” were extracted; knowledge necessary for international nursing was found to be significantly higher. Students’ perceptions of benefits of INP for their nursing activities, which were answered through the open-ended question revealed “personal growth,” “cultivation of an international perspective,” “increased understanding of nursing,” “beginning of expansion of views on nursing and nursing activities,” and “interest in exploring the essence of nursing.”
  Perceptions regarding practicum overseas were revealed by three dimensions. Four factors “development of compassion,” “experience only in the practicum field,” “inspiration from achievement of international nursing activity,” and “living experience outside of Japan” were extracted from expectation and achievement. Three factors “environment,” “individual ability,” and “inevitable events in the developing country” were extracted from anxiety. Four factors “fundamentals for achieving INP goals,” “necessity of achieving INP goals,” “nursing knowledge and skill,” and “importance for implementation in the developing country” were extracted from need for preparation. Expectation and achievement regarding experience only in the practicum field was found to be significantly higher. Anxiety about individual ability and inevitable events associated with practicum in the developing country and need for preparation regarding nursing knowledge and skill were significantly lower.
  It was suggested that INP is an effective educational method for basic nursing education and an early exposure for fostering internationalism. Understanding the willingness of students and taking their anxieties into considering were also found to be effective approaches.