In the small Czech town of Susice, Shannon Baker, a student participating in the Global Population Health Nursing Clinical Practicum in the Czech Republic, spent the morning helping patients with hygiene. She had just finished caring for an older woman when the lady handed her a chocolate bar in appreciation. Shannon was glad to help and realized that the interaction was teaching her about communicating with others from different cultures. “This service helped teach us how to communicate with the patients in a way that was meaningful, even if we couldn't speak their language,” said Shannon.
BYU College of Nursing faculty Dr. Petr Ruda and Dr. Daphne Thomas led the practicum as the students shadowed in hospitals throughout the country in areas like maternity, pediatric, intensive care, and adult medical/surgical under the supervision of a licensed professional. They each got to spend time in the community hospitals allowing them to get a first-hand glimpse into the local healthcare practices by performing practiced blood draws, EKG assessments, blood sugar assessments, etc.
“The focus of the practicum is on two things: becoming a global citizen and becoming lifelong learners,” stated Dr. Ruda. “It is to realize they need to take themselves out there and be a little more vulnerable and learn that together you can create something incredible. You need to look for opportunities to realize what you're missing in your education and add to it by participating in global health.”
For example, during clinical interactions, the students came face to face with socialized medicine and its pros and cons. “I think it’s good for the students to get what socialized medicine is,” said Dr. Thomas. "We talk about the drawbacks to socialized medicine, but also discussed how a lot of things they do could vastly help our healthcare system."
Students also visited a medical simulation center in another city in Czechia. There, all types of professionals in the healthcare industry (doctors, nurses, dentists, etc.) run a mock hospital to hone their craft. The facility even has ER rooms to simulate a hectic environment. Seeing how all members in healthcare can interact and work together was inspiring to the BYU students.
Apart from hours spent learning about Czech nursing, the students also spent time immersed in the local culture. The faculty facilitated this by creating opportunities for the students to interact with their Czech counterparts in Pilsen and Prague. Both groups shared what they learned in their nursing education and bonded over their mutual passion for healthcare and helping people.
“The great thing is the Czech have a great healthcare system,” said Dr. Ruda, a Czech native. “We’re not going there thinking we know it all. We come with that open mind on how we can learn to be better as global citizens. The Czech people and their influence make a huge difference on our students.”
The students returned home with a better understanding of their roles as global citizens and nurses. Their interactions with medical professionals and students in the Czech Republic not only enhanced their clinical skills but also instilled in them the importance of cultural humility and collaboration in healthcare.