Exchange will take place in Shanghai in 2015
By Aidan Mouellic, Staff Writer
Douglas College nursing students interested in completing their practicum overseas will have a new option in fall of 2015. In partnership with Shanghai Redleaf Women’s Hospital, Douglas College is seeking opportunities in Shanghai to offer two-way exchanges for nursing students.
The Redleaf Women’s Hospital is a small institution focussed on providing a luxury experience to patients with hotel standards. Opened in July of 2013, the 105-bed facility’s main patient load is comprised of women and children. The students from Douglas College who would be making the exchange would be focussing their scope of practice on gynaecological and birth-related medical fields.
Douglas College President Scott McAlpine said of the partnership, “This is a truly unique opportunity for our nursing students.”
Students heading over to China from Douglas could potentially face language barrier issues, especially when working with patients. However, Douglas College’s Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences Pamela Cawley says, “For students going to Shanghai from Douglas College, it [the language barrier] will not be an issue as 70 per cent of the clients in the hospital are expatriate and English-speaking. The vast majority of hospital employees are English speaking as well. An instructor from Douglas College would accompany [the students], teach, and supervise the practicum experience in Shanghai.”
For students coming from China, nurses with a firm grasp of the English language will be sent over. “The students coming here will be registered nurses in China who are coming for additional advanced training in childbirth and prenatal education that Douglas College provides,” says Cawley. “The students will be chosen for [their] professional expertise and their level of acquired English speaking, writing, and comprehension.
“Additional enrichment opportunities will be provided for the students from China relative to English language skills.”
Both parties will be able to work together internationally to share information and expertise to benefit their communities upon their return home. Both Shanghai and Vancouver are vibrant cities that will undoubtedly give their respective visitors a memorable educational experience.
It is not clear yet how popular the program will be or if the demand is strong for such an exchange, but Cawley says, “The program for our students will not launch until fall 2015 at the earliest, but yes, we have had a few of [the] current students enquire about the program already, which is exciting.”
