Today we had the opportunity to tour Hospital Universitario Basurto, and it was one of the most interesting hospital visits so far. When we first arrived, we listened to several presentations from different nurses and an engineer who worked with the hospital. The presentations focused on Spain’s public healthcare system and how patient care is organized throughout the country. It was really interesting hearing directly from healthcare professionals about how their system operates and the different approaches they take compared to healthcare in America.
One presentation that stood out to me was from the engineer, who talked about some of the projects the hospital is currently working on. The coolest project was their creation of a 3D map of the hospital that patients could use before arriving. The goal was to help patients feel more prepared and less overwhelmed by allowing them to navigate the hospital ahead of time and better understand where they needed to go. I thought it was a really smart way to combine technology with patient-centered care and improve the overall hospital experience.
After the presentations, we were taken on a full tour of the hospital and got to see many different units and departments. My favorite part was definitely visiting the NICU, or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, along with the labor and delivery floor. Seeing those units made a big impression on me because you could tell that the nurses working there truly loved what they did and found their work meaningful and rewarding. Watching the care and compassion they showed their patients made me realize that neonatal or labor and delivery nursing could definitely be a career path I would want to pursue in the future.
Later in the afternoon, we visited the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Even though modern art is not usually something I fully understand or appreciate, it was still really cool seeing all the different exhibits and unique pieces throughout the museum. The building itself also had a very special and unique design. I’ve never seen anything like it before. Overall, today was a really memorable day that gave me an even greater appreciation for both nursing and the experiences we’ve been having in Spain.