East meets West: a comparison between undergraduate nursing education in Japan and in the United States

An increasing number of foreign students, especially those of Asian ethnicity, are enrolling in graduate nursing programs in the United States. The transition of these students into graduate nursing programs is not always easy. While a language difference may pose difficulties, a more crucial problem is the difference that often exists between the basic educational nursing preparations of Asian and American graduate students. Some Asian-educated students entering graduate nursing programs may not be prepared to the same degree as their U.S.-educated counterparts. This article presents some of the critical differences in educational philosophy, nursing faculty, types of nursing programs, admission criteria, nursing classroom and clinical experiences, and professional licensure that exist between Japan and the United States. Recommendations are proposed that could help mitigate some of these differences and facilitate the transition of Japanese graduate nursing students into the U.S. educational system.