Friday, May 13, 2011
Nursing students from Netherlands study at USI
Lisanne van Leeuwen watches the scenario on a monitor as she provides the voice of the Dutch-speaking patient.
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Betty Vawter Senior Editor, News & Information Services 812/480-1873 Lisanne van Leeuwen voiced the advanced patient simulator. She explained in her native language the patient's symptoms (an ailing toe) and medical history to the healthcare team. Because the scenario was designed with a male patient, the computerized simulator modified her voice to sound like a man. Tessa Hulshof acted as the interpreter. The two students from HAN University of Applied Sciences in Nijmegen, Netherlands, are studying for three months in the USI nursing program. They will be on campus through June. "We have simulations as well, but they are not as high tech as you have here," said van Leeuwen and Hulshof in a joint email message. "In the Netherlands, we use real people to play a patient." Susan Seibert, instructor in nursing, and Dr. Mary Rock, assistant professor of nursing, conducted the clinical simulation session for students in a medical-surgical nursing course. Dr. Karen Parker, assistant professor of nursing, assisted in the control room. "Having Lisanne and Tessa act as the Dutch-speaking patient and the translator fit with our objectives to teach communication and delegation," Seibert said. Rock portrayed the podiatrist. In addition to van Leeuven and Hulshof, nursing students and their roles included Jerry Hodges, nurse Stephanie Herron, patient's wife Heather White, patient's daughter and Lauren Balbach, patient tech. During the scenario, the patient was diagnosed with gout after a joint aspiration. In Dutch, "gout" is "jicht." "We learned in this simulation that you have a very important role as an interpreter because you are the connection between patient and doctor," the Dutch students said. "We are more aware of how it is as a patient who doesn't speak the language. We now also know that, as a nurse, you should spend more time with a patient who doesn't speak the language because he feels alone and insecure very quickly." Rock said the students in the simulation as well as another 20 watching via video from a nearby classroom learned the importance of having a translator available at the hospital. "As Evansville becomes more multicultural," she said, "there will be increasing need to have multiple translators." During the debriefing, Seibert said students discussed the importance of the healthcare professionals speaking in layman's terms so the interpreter can relay explanations more easily. They also became aware that the healthcare providers should pause frequently to allow the interpreter to translate information to the patient in short spurts. The interpreter may have trouble remembering a lengthy explanation or complicated care instructions. Hulshof and van Leeuwen's study at USI will contribute toward a minor in their bachelor's degree program. "Our major is nursing, and it takes four years to complete the study," they said. "In those four years, you get half a year to do a minor. You can pick a lot of different minors in relation to nursing (for example, leadership or critical care), but we picked internationalization. Within this minor, we are going abroad to see what nursing is like in a different country." The USI nursing students are learning about healthcare in the Netherlands from the visiting students. Van Leeuwen and Hulshof made a presentation to the campus chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International. They included information about hospital facilities (wards instead of private rooms) in their country, the most prevalent diseases, and nursing education, among other topics. Hulshof and van Leeuwen have observed clinical experiences at all levels during their study at USI. They found the Evansville hospitals different from those in the Netherlands. "It looks very much like a home situation," they said. "And the private rooms - we didn't expect. It was nice to see. "We think that being here in a different country and culture will help us to provide better care. We could understand patients with another culture a little better because we spend time with people from a different country with a different culture." Dr. Nadine Coudret, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions, and Dr. Ann White, associate dean, visited HAN University of Applied Sciences in Nijmegen in 2010. The exchange is the result of a continuing relationship with faculty at the Dutch university. Heidi Gregori-Gahan, director of USI International Programs and Services, helped arrange the visit to USI. The stay is van Leeuwen's first visit to the United States. Hulshof attended high school in the Kansas City area in 2006-07 and has vacationed in the states. |
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