Today, we headed to Hospital Gorliz, where the nurse director gave a presentation on the hospital’s history, policies, and overall structure. We had the opportunity to ask questions and learn from the nurses about some of the similarities and key differences between healthcare in Spain and the United States.

After the presentation, we were split into groups and taken on a tour of the hospital. We saw areas where patients receive physical therapy, along with some of the rehabilitation devices they use. We even got to see and try the Oreka Balance machine we learned about yesterday, which was really cool to experience in person.

We then went upstairs, where we visited the nurses’ station and patient rooms, and had the chance to talk with a student nurse. We discussed differences in nursing education between the U.S. and Spain, and I found it especially interesting that clinical hours for student nurses in Spain are structured very differently from what we’re used to.

After the tour, we walked along the beach to a nearby town, where a small group of us stopped for lunch before meeting back up with everyone. We then took the subway back to the hotel, and later that evening, the entire group went out to dinner at a restaurant called Zaka. It was nice to sit and socialize for a few hours; we shared a lot of laughs, and I even learned a new game called the “island game.” It was a great way to end the day, but I kept thinking back to the hospital visit. The passion and care I saw in the nurses there really inspired me and made me want to become the best nurse I can be, providing compassionate, high-quality care to my future patients