Welcome back for day four! Today was one of our more education and accessibility focused days. We learned about how related nursing and education are in that they both go beyond just physical care. The conversations were about supporting people and understanding the different kinds of barriers that impact their lives. And we learned so much about how healthcare systems can either support or hinder people depending on what they look like.
Our first lecture was at Joseph Chamberlain College, where we learned about the different programs in place to support students from all kinds of backgrounds. One thing that stood out to me was how student-centered everything is. There is a big focus on helping students figure out what their future could look like (university, career, etc.) rather than just solely caring about their grades. They showed us multiple different examples of students with a C or D average who still went on to university. The school also had a large population of students whose English is their second language (ESOL) and adult learners. There are about 2500 teen students and 1162 adult learners. The school mainly offers vocational courses to people who are learning English, but they also try to build real-world and career skills at the same time. I thought that was really interesting because it felt very practical and geared towards helping the students succeed in real life.
We learned about the differences between A-levels and BTEC programs. The main difference is that A-levels are more academically focused, while BTECs are more practical and hands-on. I liked to hear how the programs were structured because they help students figure out the best path for them. The main message that I got from the lecture was that the school understood and emphasized that the student comes first, and they need to feel safe and supported to learn to the best of their ability.
The one thing I really appreciated about the lecture was that the college was very aware of how much a student’s life at school could impact them. They talked a lot about safeguarding and understanding that the students in their area could come from harder environments. There are therapists, nurses, and even coaches on site to help remove some of the barriers that could impact their learning. They allow students to adjust their schedules around childcare by offering Zoom or online classes for pregnant students. Or if a student lives far away (over 2 miles), they will provide free transportation. Hearing all of this made me realize how much these support systems matter and impact the students. We also got to watch a video about the student of the year at the end of the lecture. She talked about how challenging school had been for her, but that it ultimately changed her life. She said she was more confident and hopeful because she gained a whole new set of opportunities. It reminded me that our most challenging moments help us grow the most.
Our second lecture was based on learning disability nursing. In the UK, the term “learning disability” refers to what we in the US call an intellectual or cognitive disability. The lecturers again talked about how important person-centered care is because everyone experiences life differently. One quote that really stood out to me was that they said, “When you have met one person with autism, you have met one person with autism.” I liked that because it was a good reminder that you can not make assumptions about someone based on their diagnosis. We also talked about how care plans are built around activities of daily living and helping them maintain as much independence as possible. They emphasized how it is important to view the person as a whole, not just their behaviors or symptoms. It is important to ask yourself what is causing that behavior and not just immediately judging it, which relates back again to focusing on the entire person.
After all of our lectures, we spent time walking through the botanical gardens, which was a nice, restful break after a day of learning. The gardens were really peaceful and gave me a chance to slow down and enjoy being outside for a bit. There were so many different types of flowers, plants, and paths to explore. It also gave me a chance to reflect on our trip so far. We walked around and took a ton of photos to share with people back home. It was a really good way to end the day because I was able to explore Birmingham outside of just the city and reflect on everything thus far!