Today we got to go to the classroom for the first time during our trip to Birmingham. We first visited the main campus, where we took a tour of the buildings and facilities. I was very impressed by how modern everything looked. The buildings were very open with lots of natural light coming in, which made the campus feel welcoming and comfortable. Everything looked newly renovated. It was interesting to compare the campus to universities in the United States because the layout and atmosphere felt much different from what I am used to back home.
During our visit we got to meet the professor who will be teaching us while we are here. Her name is Chinenye, and she is the head of International Nursing at the university. She is also a specialist in burns and wound care, which made the lecture especially interesting because she has so much experience in the field. She talked to us about several differences between nursing education in the United Kingdom and the United States. One of the biggest differences is that nursing students in the UK only complete three years of schooling, while nursing students in the US usually complete four years. Another major difference is that students in the UK choose their nursing specialty right away, while in the United States we are exposed to many different specialties before deciding on one later in our education.
She explained that nursing students in the US gain experience in several different areas such as mental health, pediatrics, medical-surgical nursing, maternity, and community health. In contrast, nursing students in the UK focus mainly on the specialty they selected from the beginning. We also discussed how students in the United States have long summer and winter breaks, while students in the UK do not. Another important difference is that after UK nursing students complete their degree, they can immediately begin working as nurses without taking an exam like the NCLEX. In the United States, nursing students must pass the NCLEX to prove that they are safe and competent to practice nursing. Because UK nursing students do not receive the same broad exposure to different specialties, their degree alone cannot directly transfer to the US. They would need to complete additional education and clinical experience in other nursing areas before practicing in America.
After touring the main campus, we traveled to the South Campus where we attended a lecture about burns and wound care. I found this lecture extremely interesting because I learned many new things that I did not know before. We discussed several different types of burns and the common causes of each type. The most common burn in children is scalding, which often happens when children spill hot drinks or touch hot objects such as stoves. In adults, the most common burns are caused by flames. We also learned about electrical burns, which can be especially dangerous because the damage inside the body is often much worse than what can be seen on the outside.
One thing that connected strongly to my previous knowledge from microbiology was learning about burns around the anus. These burns are especially dangerous because feces contain normal microbiota from the digestive system that can enter the wound and cause serious infections. This connection helped me better understand why infection prevention is so important in burn care. Another important topic we discussed was mental health. Burn injuries can greatly affect a patient emotionally and psychologically, so nurses must pay attention not only to physical healing but also to the patient’s mental well-being.
One of the most important new things I learned was proper first aid treatment for burns. I learned that the best thing to do after receiving a burn is to place it under cool running water for a full twenty minutes within three hours of the injury. I thought this was very important because many people believe that ice, lotion, or butter should be applied to burns. However, these myths can actually cause more damage. I believe this information should be taught more often because it could help prevent complications and improve healing. It was also stated that cooling the burn under water should be done immediately, even before going to the hospital.
We also learned about fluid replacement treatment for burn patients. To calculate fluid needs, healthcare providers multiply 3–4 mL by the patient’s body weight in kilograms and by the percentage of the body that is burned. Half of the fluids should be given within the first eight hours, and the remaining half should be given over the next sixteen hours. This is important for protecting kidney function and preventing complications. Nurses must also carefully monitor urine output because it helps show whether the patient is receiving enough fluids.
The final important topic we discussed was scar management. I learned that proper scar management is very important because severe scarring can eventually increase the risk of skin cancer. Overall, I found this lecture extremely interesting and educational. As future nurses, it is very important for us to educate patients about burn prevention, treatment, and long-term care so that we can help improve their health and recovery.