Today was day two of our trip and our first full day in Buenos Aires. We had an early start and met for the bus at 8 a.m. after breakfast at the hotel. The bus took us to Austral University, about an hour away. At Austral, we got to meet nurses who attended the university and some who currently teach there. They welcomed us with coffee and pastries (very delicious ones!) before giving us a presentation about the university and its hospitals. This presentation gave me a better perspective on how the school compares to colleges in the U.S. Some facts that stood out to me were their extremely small nursing graduating class—about 10 students each year—Argentina’s low respect for nursing as a career, and the shortage of higher education within the nursing field. Following the presentation, we received a tour of the hospital attached to the university, led by a current nurse who works in the neonatal unit. Many of the hospital’s floors were similar to those in the U.S., but the overall size was noticeably smaller, as were the styles of the rooms. To conclude our visit, we got to talk with current students at the university and learn more about their lifestyle. It was such a great experience to learn about another culture, from how they grew up to how their education compares to ours. My eyes were opened to how much more other countries invest in teaching young people foreign languages, whereas in the U.S., we tend to lack this focus. We took the bus back and explored more of the city for the rest of the day. One of my favorite sights was El Ateneo, a famous bookstore known for its beautiful design.

Austral’s hospital is in the private sector, meaning it is funded by insurance companies and unions. In Argentina, private hospitals are generally considered to have better facilities and pay than public hospitals, which are funded by the government. When we learned about the healthcare system in Argentina, we also discussed some of the challenges that come with the private sector. One of the main problems Austral Hospital faces is a lack of nurses. According to the presentation we received today, the average doctor-to-nurse ratio in Argentina is about 1.29. This is a shocking statistic compared to the normal ratio in the United States. We learned that one of the main reasons for the nursing shortage is the low pay and poor public image of the profession. Sadly, nursing is not a very well-respected career in Argentina, and the pay is not very appealing. This creates a very different environment compared to what we are used to in the U.S. and at Pitt. On top of the already low number of nurses, there is a significant lack of higher education in the field. According to the presentation, only 11% of nurses in Argentina have their BSN. This is a staggeringly low number compared to the U.S. and surrounding countries. In conclusion, the lack of education in nursing and the overall shortage of nurses is a major problem for Austral Hospital and the private sector in Argentina.

See you tomorrow!!