Day six was a packed academic day where we went back to college! We took a nice peaceful bus ride over to the main campus of the Universidad de Austral which is located in the town of Pilar. This campus also has their private hospital, which is a teaching hospital for the nursing students that attend the university. We first had lectures from Dr. Marcelo Pellizzari, the CEO and founder of the hospital, Mariano Pelorosso, the Operations Director, and Juan Manuel Labado, the Persons Director. We learned about the history of the hospital and why it was founded, along with ten of the biggest challenges being faced by the directors currently. A lot of them were very similar to other challenges we have heard about from both the public and private sector, and it was interesting to hear about how they were working on them. They also made it very clear that every decision they were making was oriented towards the people and ensuring that it was allowing patient care to advance.

We then got a tour through their hospital by two different nurses who work there. These nurses were so nice to talk to, and answered every question we had very thoroughly, and allowed us to see so many things. This private hospital looked somewhat similar to what an American hospital looks like, as they had rooms on each side, and nurses stations throughout the middle. One difference I thought was interesting was the fact that every door had no windows, so providers aren’t necessarily able to monitor patients visually unless they enter the room. It was explained that this was due to the fact that the patients on this floor were less critical and didn’t need as much direct attention, but I still found it interesting to look at.

When comparing the two private hospitals we have toured so far, it is clear that there are very different arrangements depending on where you go. When looking at Los Arcos, the private hospital owned and operated by Swiss Medical Group, you would think that you were in a luxury hotel. Patient’s rooms were massive and included a living room and private bathroom, while also having fancy meals and other services provided. This almost didn’t even feel like a hospital, and it’s clear why patients want to remain there for extended periods of time. However, like I mentioned above, the Austral Hospital was a lot more like a true hospital setting, and did not have the hotel feel at all. It was a lot easier to see the nurses and how they monitor patients at Austral, and the equipment they use was more obvious. 

After the tour, we were able to speak with other nursing students at the university. I had a fun challenge of speaking to two students who did not speak any English, so I was communicating fully in Spanish. My friend Caroline and I learned about how their education system worked, the things they liked about nursing, and just got to know the people in general. I really enjoyed being able to speak to them in Spanish, and it was very good practice for me as well. One difference between the American and Argentine nursing education model was that Argentine students go to school for five years instead of four, and also go into the hospitals during their first year. They also said that during the second year that they go to different specialized hospitals for teaching as well. I really enjoyed hearing about these students’ education and ways of life. 

We finished off the day with a final lecture from the Secretary of Health of the Municipality of San Isidro, Maria Richards, who is both a nurse and secretary. She has just recently been appointed to this position, so we talked about what it meant to work for a municipality, and what comprises the healthcare delivery system in San Isidro. One thing that I find very interesting about Argentine healthcare is their use of mobile and community medicine. We learned how doctors and nurses will travel into deprived communities to do checkups, vaccination administration, and health promotion events. I feel as though this is a largely successful system that works to deliver care all over, and is something we could pick up in the United States as well. I am a very strong supporter of implementing community paramedicine programs into our healthcare system, and think that we could study the system in Argentina and bring it overseas. Now that we have reached the weekend, we have a bunch of fun cultural activities that I am looking forward to and cannot wait to share. See you all tomorrow!