We started our day by walking to Birmingham City University. In the morning, we learned about pregnancy and fetal development. During the session, we got to use the Anatomage tables to view the different stages of fetal development and better understand how a baby grows throughout pregnancy. We also watched an animated model of a mother giving birth, which helped us visualize the labor and delivery process in a more interactive and realistic way.
At my anatomy lab in college, we also have an Anatomage table, but we do not use it as much as I would like. I think they are super cool because there is so much you can see and learn from them. I learn best through visuals and interactive activities, so this was a really fun experience for me. I also do not know a lot about fetal development and this area of healthcare in general, so it was very interesting to learn more about it in such an engaging way.
We then got a break to finalize our presentations. I was definitely nervous! I practiced with my two other group members, and we worked on fixing a few last-minute details before grabbing a quick lunch. Even though I was anxious, I also felt excited to present everything we had learned throughout the trip.
My presentation group focused on single parents and how that impacts access to education and healthcare while comparing the United States and the United Kingdom. It was really interesting to research this topic and learn about the similarities and differences between the two countries. When we eventually presented, I felt like we were able to show the students and others from the UK what the US does differently, as well as the things both countries have in common. Even though we are far away from each other, I realized that both countries still face many of the same challenges and share similar concepts when it comes to healthcare, education, and family support systems.
After lunch, we attended the International Nursing Conference where we would later present our projects. Before our presentations began, we listened to speakers from Birmingham City University and other healthcare professionals discuss different topics related to healthcare and nursing. While they were speaking, I wrote down several things that I found interesting and important to remember. It was nice to hear different perspectives and learn more from healthcare professionals before presenting our own work.
Here in the United Kingdom, nursing students choose between four different fields of nursing very early in their education. Personally, I do not think I would like having to decide right away. I am still not completely sure what area of nursing I want to go into, and I feel that gaining more clinical experience will help me figure that out over time. It was interesting to learn about how nursing education differs between the UK and the United States and see how both systems prepare students in different ways.
Another thing that stood out to me was the long waiting lists in the United Kingdom healthcare system, which can sometimes be up to a year long for certain conditions. We learned that under the UK constitution, patients should ideally be seen within 18 weeks. This really stood out to me because that seems like a very long time to live with a medical condition. During that waiting period, a person’s condition could worsen, and their quality of life may be negatively affected while waiting to receive treatment or care.
We also discussed how nursing is considered one of the most trusted professions in the United Kingdom, although that trust has recently been declining. During the conference, we talked about the importance of rebuilding trust between nurses and patients and how nurses need to have a strong voice within healthcare. We learned about the power of nursing and how important nurses are in saving lives, especially since there are around 180 million nurses worldwide. One idea that really stood out to me was that trust is the cornerstone of the nursing profession and plays a major role in patient care and outcomes.
Overall, attending this nursing conference made me think more deeply about healthcare, nursing, and patient care. It helped me reflect on the type of nurse I want to become in the future. I think this experience will help me become a better nurse because it encourages me to think about communication, trust, and even my own biases so that I can provide the best possible care to all of my future patients.
