Instructors at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing are making an impact on future nurses beyond the United States.
The school has partnered with the World Health Organization Collaborating Center at the University of West Indies–Mona Campus in Kingston, Jamaica, to improve how they train future nurses.
UAB instructors traveled to Jamaica to train the instructors at the University of West Indies–Mona in 2018, where they demonstrated how to teach with simulations.
“The educators saw how simple but impactful a simulation can be,” said Penni Watts, Ph.D., director of Clinical Simulation in the School of Nursing. “I think we made a significant, positive impact on their perspective of teaching modalities.”
Traci White, DNP, a School of Nursing assistant professor who also traveled to Kingston, says the instructors were eager to expand their skills.
“Going to UWI, where there were fresh faces and you could see the changes in their teachings in a matter of days, was invigorating,” White said. “The faculty were hungry to learn and receptive to what we brought to the table. It excited me to see their enthusiasm for learning.”
The instructors were able to provide training for specialized areas, such as palliative and end-of-life care.
“There’s a tremendous need for palliative care in Jamaica, and people I met were eager to have someone ready to tackle this important issue,” said assistant professor Rebecca Edwards, DNP. “My lifetime goal is to embed myself in global health, and this opportunity helps me reach that.”
The partnership will continue through online resources, including the UAB Nursing Network’s “Clinical Pearls” professional development videos and virtual debriefings.
“We are committed to a close partnership with UWI. This will build support to sustain changes and optimize impact for UWI SON faculty and students,” said associate professor and WHOCC deputy director Ada Markaki, Ph.D. “Sustainability is the key word for this partnership, which follows the school’s definition of global health and focus on the WHO’s sustainable development goals.”