A Decade of Storytelling: The CSB+SJU Nursing Global Health Video Project

A Decade of Storytelling: The CSB+SJU Nursing Global Health Video Project

Written by Kara Schleck, Science, Health Sciences, and Data Literacy Librarian

Every semester, the Nursing program at CSB+SJU sends a cohort of students into the field for global health clinical experiences in Nursing 303: Clinical Nursing IV – ranging from the local Saint Cloud area to locations across the globe. These experiences are designed to sharpen clinical decision-making and deepen students’ understanding of cultural competency and global health systems.

But these students do more than just public health work; they also become filmmakers.

From Paper to Production

The project began over a decade ago with a simple question: What if nursing students created a media project instead of writing a traditional paper?

That inquiry sparked what has become the longest-running media project at CSB+SJU. In the early days, the hurdles were high. Smartphones weren’t ubiquitous, and their cameras weren’t yet capable of high-quality video. Furthermore, most nursing students had never edited videos in their lives. The logistical challenge of filming overseas and returning with a coherent documentary seemed daunting.

By the time I stepped into the role of Nursing Library Liaison this past August, those technical barriers had largely dissolved. What was once a series of challenges has evolved into a well-oiled machine.

The Process: Training and Fieldwork

The journey from student to documentarian follows a structured timeline:

• Phase 1: Preparation: Mid-semester, students attend a training session hosted by Library and Instructional Technology. They learn the fundamentals of smartphone cinematography, research methods for their specific documentary topics, and organizational tips for managing a media project.
• Phase 2: Global Health Experience: Students head to their locations for several weeks of clinical work, capturing footage on the ground.
• Phase 3: The Edit: Once they return, our team spends an intensive week helping students edit their raw clips into polished, five-minute documentaries.

Impactful Results

The projects focus on critical global health issues, with past topics including:

• Heart health in Zambia
• Physical activity and exercise in Costa Rica
• Hand-washing education for elementary students in Saint Cloud

Beyond the Classroom

The feedback from students is overwhelmingly positive. They report that the video project is an engaging, creative way to reflect on their clinical work. Beyond the grade, they leave the program with two valuable assets: practical video editing skills and a newfound confidence in health communication – a vital tool for any modern nursing professional.

Check out this Spring’s documentaries here! And if you are a faculty at CSB+SJU and are interested in designing a similar assignment for one of your courses for the next academic year, please reach out to your subject liaison librarian or an Instructional Technology Specialist.