Fiona Brown, Helen Herniman, Hannah Young and Khim Horton
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Maribor, Slovenia
Khim Horton†
with Fiona Brown*, Helen Herniman* and Hannah Young*
University of Surrey
Introduction:
Demographic changes, global health problems,
advancing scientific developments in health care and recent economic
crisis are key factors that contribute to the urgent need for change and
reform in healthcare and healthcare issues in Europe. In response to
this need, the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Maribor, with
the cooperation and help of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences,
University of Surrey, and University College of Dublin, had organised
the Summer School (SS) “Healthy living- HEALTH”. This event was
sponsored under the Erasmus Programme of the Lifelong Learning Programme
(European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University
Students) Intensive Programme, for the period 2007 – 2009 and by the
National Agency, the Republic of Slovenia for Mobility and European
Educational and Training Programs (CMEIPUS). In this report I wish to
provide an overview of the SS and three reflective accounts from three
of my UK students about their experience during the SS.
The SS at the University of Maribor was attended by
13 students from Ireland, 14 students from the UK, 3 students from
Portugal and 3 students from Slovenia. Speakers included local and
international experts from various countries including the USA and
Australia. From the University of Surrey, Professor Pam Smith and I,
academic members of staff from the DHSC, Faculty of Health and Medical
Sciences, University of Surrey, contributed to the SS programme. I was
the UK student coordinator of this Programme.
The primary aims of this two-week Summer School were to:
- Initiate an inter-disciplinary and
multisectoral knowledge exchange in principles and concepts of
healthcare, healthcare informatics and other related disciplines such as
law, psychology and sociology;
- Provide an overview of influencing factors and aspects of recent healthcare issues;
- Provide an understanding of the tools and methods of healthcare research and decision making;
- Provide skills and knowledge to become a proactive player in healthcare systems;
- Contribute to the formation of an international and interdisciplinary network.
Each day of the SS had a specific theme, for
example, Gerontology, Psychiatry and Sociology, Simulations in
Healthcare, ICT and e-learning, Community Nursing Care, Environmental,
Bioinformatics and system biology, Management in Healthcare and Legal
Aspects, Human Rights and Patients Rights.
Lectures were supplemented by interactive seminar
sessions and visits to other interesting places, including a care home,
an acute hospital, and a pharmacy in a Minorite cloister, an organic
farm and a town court in Maribor. Students were also given the
opportunity to have hands-on practice exercise in working groups.
Assigned to groups comprising participants from at least two EU
countries, students were expected to consider a specific health care
issue of their choice and identify problem-solving approaches. These
culminated in a poster which they presented at the end of the SS to
invited guests, academics and other groups.
The first reflective account, by Fiona Brown,
relates to a visit to the World Health Organisation Collaborative Centre
and the Community Health centre in Maribor where they met with
community nurses to learn about their work. Fiona Brown adds:
On Friday 12th June we had the opportunity to
visit the community health centre and met a couple of the community
nurses who worked there. I was surprised to learn that community nurses
in Slovenia have a very different role to that from community nurses in
the U.K. as these community nurses in Slovenia look after the whole of
the family from the child to the care of the older adult while they are
still living in the neighbourhood. This continuum of care from ‘cradle
to grave’ along with a specific named nurse who is assigned to a
district in Maribor means that there is a very good continuity of care
for all age groups in the health service. The community nurses also
visited people aged 65 years and over twice a year for a general health
check up. This included an assessment of the older person’s Body Mass
Index and mobility along with any medical and psychological problems
that they may have. These bi-yearly health checks provided an ideal
opportunity for the community nurse to provide appropriate advice on any
health issues that they feel would benefit the older person, such as
reducing the level of salt used in cooking or increasing their physical
activities. These health checks are obviously an important aspect of the
community nurses’ work as it allows them to have a better understanding
of what the individual is able to do for themselves and whether the
individual requires any extra help around the home or with specific
tasks. Being a well known face in the local community, these nurses
reported being able to act as an advocate for the family, for example
when a family member requires additional treatment from another health
service.
In the next account, Helen Herniman, also a second year student nurse, recalled:
Well, from the moment I saw my name
on the selection list (for the SS) I was so excited and quickly told my
family and friends jumping for joy! We all (14 UK students) made our
way to the airport only having met each other briefly at a prior meeting
regarding details of the SS and very soon became part of the most
amazing trip and experience we could have wished for.
The intensive summer school proved to be informative and rewarding
where knowledge and experiences were shared from different cultures, UK,
Ireland, Portugal, Slovenia, Australia and America.
I would just like to share a small part of my feelings after
visiting a large nursing home in Maribor. My immediate thought was how
staggering this nursing home was as it caters for 600 residents with
varying needs; this was drastically different from any of the UK nursing
homes that I have worked in where there were usually 40-50 residents.
The impression I have from listening and observing the nursing home
manager was that a sense of real caring is present.
Our tour of the nursing
home included the physiotherapy department, the dining hall and the
gardens; we also had the opportunity to see a typical resident’s room.
The room was cheerful and bright with a small balcony where pots and
flowers were tended to. I felt very happy to know that people appeared
cared for but at the same time remaining as independent as possible! The
gardens were undergoing some development- a new area was being
constructed specifically for residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s
Disease to provide a place of safety and to enjoy the many pleasures
from a garden.
All staff
wore the same uniform and for this environment I felt it very
appropriate as people often can become confused with all the different
roles; so this simplification meant that the residents knew quickly how
to identify staff.
I was encouraged to hear that primary school
children from the age of 5 years were involved with visiting older
people in the nursing home and actively helped with the gardens; this
certainly demonstrated the intergenerational dimension that the
community nurses have in their approach to care in the community.
The nursing home organised trips, visits,
picnics and barbeques. Staff also involved the residents to prepare food
for functions, encouraging them to engage in healthy living and ageing.
The dining hall was great and it was lunch time as we visited with
music in the background, we all waved and said “ZDRAVO” (hello) I
noticed a stage area which conjured up happy events that must take
place.
At the entrance of the building was a bar/café
that could be found as a typical sight in Maribor with many people just
enjoying the sunshine and relaxing at this time of the year. I was told
that family and other visits and the residents can socialize there.
My general and overall impression and feeling
from this visit was despite the very large accommodation and numbers of
residents this place provided a great sense of warmth; it had a happy
and caring environment and I would be extremely happy to grow old in
Maribor!
The final account by Hannah Young relates to her
experience of learning from the SS and working with other students
outside the UK. This cultural exchange has its challenges but rewards
too.
I consider it a privilege to have
taken part in the ERASMUS International Summer School 2009. The
intensive programme made a large impact on me and I am certain that
things I learnt both in and out of the classroom will influence my
future career as a nurse. The lectures received were very informative
and often sparked conversations regarding the variations in nursing
across the different European countries represented. Frequently these
conversations were continued outside of the classroom, and it was both
fascinating and highly valuable to consider different models of nursing
which operate in different countries. In addition to lectures we were
asked to prepare and present a poster based on a health-related topic.
Our group chose to address the issue of home safety for older people as
we felt that many older people wish to remain in their own homes rather
than moving into residential care, however a person’s home may not be
the safest environment.
Within our group were some students from
Madeira, Portugal. We discussed varying home safety issues for older
people in our respective countries, and how these issues were being
addressed. There were differences in the countries, for example, keeping
cool is an issue in Madeira, whereas keeping warm tends to be more of
an issue in the UK!
Initially, we found the preparation challenging
as our different experiences and interpretation of the task caused
confusion; however, we discovered that through open dialogue and
negotiations we were able to come to agreements. Thankfully the students
from Madeira spoke excellent English so there was no problem with a
language barrier.
The preparation of the poster made us all more
aware of home safety issues concerning older people and by working
collaboratively we were able to compile a list of simple solutions to
these issues from both our perspectives. Having attended the lectures,
participated in the poster presentation and other activities such as
visiting a care home community nursing team I now feel far more informed
about nursing and especially care of older people across Europe.
Through interaction with students from countries other than England,
both in a classroom and social setting I feel I now have a much larger
perspective on nursing and the different nursing structures and care
models which will benefit my future practice and the care I provide to
patients.
From the above, I can confidently argue that
student exchanges such as this funded by the Erasmus programme provide
such a golden opportunity for exchange of ideas, culture and learning.
As an international co-coordinator of this programme with other EU
partners, I have found this fortnight’s experience very rewarding and
challenging, despite its intensity both in terms of content and
programme. In some ways, the objectives of the SS have been met. Our
students have now set up their own network to remain in contact with
fellow students in this SS. The key challenge for me now is how to
capitalise on my students’ new perspectives about their nursing work in
terms of caring for older people and about ageing in other countries and
how I could instigate changes based on these observations. If the SS
can challenge our students’ perspectives about ageing, then we are one
step nearer in dispelling myths about ageing. That is why I have taken
this step to encourage my students to share their reflective accounts
with GR.
The Summer School is supported by a
European Union grant under the Lifelong Learning Programme as an Erasmus
Intensive Programme, for the 2007-2009 period.
† Senior Lecturer, DHSC, FHMS, University of Surrey
* Undergraduate students, Division of Health &
Social Care (DHSC), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences (FHMS),
University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey. England