Nursing students need an understanding of how nurses care for people’s health from a global perspective. The aim of this studywas to explore how nurses can contribute to health from the perspectives of first-year nursing students in Scandinavia (Sweden,Norway) and Indonesia. Data were collected using an open-ended question about nurses’ contribution to health, and analysedusing qualitative content analysis. Three common categories emerged: ‘Promoting health and preventing disease’, ‘Performingcare and treatment’, ‘Establishing a relationship with patients and being compassionate’. ‘Possessing and implementing knowledgeand skills’ was common to Norway and Indonesia. ‘Being a team member’ was emphasised by the Indonesian participants.The Norwegian participants focused on health promotion, whereas those from Indonesia prioritised disease prevention. TheScandinavian participants emphasised individuality, while those from Indonesia focused on the community. The findings indicatethat nursing education should take account of different cultures and include student exchange programmes.