SDSU-IV Nursing Program welcome students from Switzerland
The San Diego State University-Imperial Valley Campus RN-BS in Nursing Program welcomed baccalaureate nursing students from Lausanne, Switzerland, to campus July 12 and 13.
The Swiss delegation was comprised of 16 students and two faculty from two universities within Lausanne.
Le Source and Hesav universities have had an ongoing international summer university experience in nursing with SDSU since 2010.
Students from San Diego and Imperial Valley campuses take turns hosting and then visiting the Swiss students.
During the summer of 2016, Brooke Plourd, a second bachelor’s degree student in nursing through the SDSU-IV campus was part of the delegation that went to Switzerland.
In return, this summer, she served as the coordinator of the Imperial Valley portion of the program.
While visiting our community, the Swiss were treated to an overview of the various cities within Imperial County by nurses taking a community health nursing class and then tours of our community.
Day one of the tours were hosted by Jeff and Delu Plourd.
Swiss nurses were provided an interactive tour through the El Toro feed lot and export facility.
Angus Brown provided an overview of the cattle industry in Imperial to learn about the top industry in Imperial County.
Day two consisted of tours of both El Centro Regional Medical Center and Pioneers Memorial Hospital where students engaged with administrators, nurses, and physicians to learn about the various initiatives within the US healthcare system and how nurses are working on evidence based practice projects to improve patient safety and the quality of care provided locally.
The theme of this summer’s university was nurses engaged in the community to promote health.
Students and faculty from Switzerland presented on the healthcare system in their country and the current health issues being tackled at the population level.
Students from both countries were pleasantly surprised to learn of the similar issues faced by both countries.
They were inspired by the close knit community in Imperial Valley and the ability for our nurses to be so closely engaged within the community to better health. SDSU-IV RN-BS in nursing students will now have an opportunity to apply to visit Lausanne in the summer of 2018.