Today is Tuesday and it was our first lecture day at Birmingham City University! We arrived on the Birmingham City University campus around nine in the morning, and were greeted by one of BCU’s lovely nursing students, Gemma. Gemma brought us up to the classroom where we had tea and biscuits waiting for us! We then had a brief tour around the Seacole Building. We got to see the simulation labs, where BCU nursing and midwifery students learn about how to give life-saving CPR as well as assist women and birthing people while they are delivering their babies.

After our tour, we had some lectures and learned a lot, but what really stuck out to me was the English school system. Similarly to the United States of America, England also has a mental health crisis that was greatly impacted by the presence and pandemic of the coronavirus. We were spoken to by the Birmingham City University Student Union (BCUSU), who taught us all about the various resources that the university offers for its students. The university itself has different societies for students to join, which allow them to build a sense of community while they are studying at university. Having a community of people who they feel they relate and can talk to can help students feel like they belong and can decrease feelings of loneliness. BCU also has mental health resources that can set students up with counseling services. While the university itself does offer resources, the student union plays a much more active role in promoting the well-being of students. For example, BCUSU has an advice program that students can use to easily access information and guidance regarding housing, financial, and academic struggles. By having assistance with these topics, students can feel much more secure in themselves and focus on enjoying their time in university.

We went to the BCU canteen for lunch, where they were serving tacos, mac and cheese, sandwiches, fish sticks, and even chips (french fries). We sat with Gemma, a BCU second year nursing student, and learned a lot about how nursing works over here! I found it really interesting that incoming nursing students immediately declare their specialty upon entering the nursing program and their universities. We were told that they can choose adult nursing, child nursing, accident and emergency nursing, which is like emergency department nursing here, critical care nursing, or psychiatric nursing. The first year of the program is very similar for each of these specialties, so if students decide they want to select a different specialty, they can switch quite easily as first year students. Gemma also told us about the long thirteen hour clinical shifts nursing students here in England do. They do around 2,300 clinical hours before they are certified, and once they are certified, they only make around 14 pounds an hour, which equates to about 17.51 United States dollars an hour. Since nurses are so underpaid here in England, there is an extreme nursing shortage crisis. Gemma told us that a singular nurse or nursing student can be responsible for the care of as many as twenty-four patients at a time. Being in charge of the care of so many patients at once can decrease the level and quality of care a nurse is able to provide.

After lunch, we had more lectures, where we learned a lot about the teaching profession here in the United Kingdom, more specifically in England. We also learned about how different schooling is around teenage years in the United States compared to over here in England. In order to get into university, secondary school students have to take standardized tests called GCSEs. It is most important for them to receive passing grades on their english, math, and science GSCEs. They spend two years in school preparing for these tests, and taking them is a lot of pressure for English students. I think the level of importance of GSCEs can be somewhat compared to the SAT/ACT in the United States, but a lot of American colleges/universities have made their applications test optional following the pandemic.

We also got the opportunity to have high tea at Birmingham City University today! There was a variety of tea flavors, or flavours, I should say. There were also some lemon cakes and chocolate cakes which were simply delicious. It was a nice break in between learning where we were able to discuss all that we’ve learned as well. Tomorrow we get to visit the children’s hopsital, which will be very exciting. I cannot wait to see first hand how the healthcare system works, as well as learn a bit about pediatric nursing!