In early March, BYU College of Nursing professors Kristen Erekson and Sarah Davis traveled to Morocco along with students Katie Johnson and Kiana Christiansen. Their goal was to gather information about maternal and infant health in urban and rural settings.
The impetus for this project actually stems from the BYU Anthropology department and the cultural connection they have with Morocco. Anthropology professor Dr. Becky Schulthies has spent many years doing research there, and she reached out to the BYU Engineering and Nursing departments to create a multi-discipline project surrounding Moroccan healthcare.
While in Morocco, the group from BYU College of Nursing visited clinics and hospitals in several locations such as the city of Fes and a small village called Sefrou. They also met with medical students, nursing students, and midwives.
To perform a needs assessment of maternal and infant healthcare, they collected data alongside students from BYU Anthropology and the prestigious Université Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah in Fes.
Professor Erekson explained what the anthropology students taught them about “ethnographic research,” or researching communities and cultures by interacting and observing people in their natural environment. By getting to know locals through interviews and activities, the nursing team was able to get a better sense of what Professor Erekson called the “rich” Moroccan culture in addition to their health needs.
The team also did “environmental scans,” or “windshield surveys” as they’re known in nursing. They would travel through a neighborhood and take note of the amenities they saw; hospitals, pharmacies, and other resources were all noted down to get a sense of healthcare accessibility.
The group appreciated the chance to work with the anthropology students because the interactive element enhanced their ability to understand the people they were seeking to serve. While this may seem like an obvious part of nursing, taking time to connect with patients is often overlooked in a busy clinical setting.
Professor Erekson referenced Tanner’s Clinical Judgment Model, which nurses use daily to direct their course of action. It begins with “Noticing” or gathering information and understanding the situation. “Taking the time to observe, talk to people, and notice,-- it’s easy to jump over,” she lamented.
Katie explained how she felt this qualitative research was making her a better nurse:
“[This research has] been amazing…[It] helped me to take a step back and better understand who we are serving.”
Discussing their findings, it was clear that the system wasn't without its flaws. Katie mentioned that "[healthcare workers in Morocco] have the training, but what they need is to provide the education to patients.” Professor Erekson added that “patients really appreciated the public care because it was free or low cost…the problem was it’s hard to get in.”
Though plans for BYU College of Nursing to return to Morocco aren’t set in stone, Professor Erekson said that they "plan to continue to work with [their] partners in Morocco to support their efforts to promote maternal and infant health. teaching newborn skills care like Helping Babies Breathe, technology to facilitate prenatal care, and more accessible screenings for newborns.”
As this partnership develops further, BYU Nursing students will have increased opportunities to understand this vibrant culture and experience how they approach healthcare.