Today was our second full day in Spain, and the weather couldn’t have been better. After breakfast we boarded the bus and headed to Gorlizko Ospitalea, where we began with an introduction to the hospital’s policies and practice. Many of their approaches to patient-centered care and evidence-based practice were almost identical to what I’ve learned this year about nursing in the United States. We also discussed the clinical applications of the Oreka device, which is used with patients experiencing loss of balance, coordination issues, or the effects of a stroke.

After the introduction, we split into smaller groups for a tour. We were able to see the physical therapy areas where we got to see the rehabilitation devices up close and even try the Oreka ourselves. From there, we moved through the patient units, entering into the nurses’ room and patient rooms and chatting with several nurses and a nursing student along the way. Talking with the nursing student was eye-opening; I quickly realized that earning a nursing degree in Spain looks quite different from the path back home. In Spain, nursing students do not do clinical and classes at the same time like we do in the United States.

Afterward, we followed a path along the beach and stopped for lunch before taking the metro back to the hotel — surprisingly simple compared to public transportation in much of the U.S. We wrapped up with a group dinner, which gave us a chance to socialize and debrief together. Seeing a Spanish hospital through the perspective of the people who work there made it an especially memorable day.