Far East trip offers nursing students volunteering opportunity

Nursing students from Teesside University spent the summer volunteering in a rural Cambodian hospital and children’s orphanages.

Eve Wilson, Laura Ewins, Kate Smith, Joanna Ferguson and Mollie Hart, who are all about to begin third year of the BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Adult), spent time volunteering in the Battambang province and capital city Phnom Penh with the Transform Healthcare Cambodia charity.

During their time in Cambodia, they visited the hospital’s operating theatres and emergency room and observed nursing care on the wards. They also visited the hospital’s maternity department, where they witnessed birth of a baby and met with Cambodian nursing students at the Battambang Nursing School.

Eve, 20, from Hartlepool, said: 'When I first heard about the opportunity to undertake an international placement in Cambodia, I thought it sounded amazing.

'I was interested in experiencing healthcare internationally and wanted to develop my own knowledge of nursing care delivered by healthcare professionals in a country like Cambodia.'

The students also worked at The Joy Daycare Centre children’s orphanage in Phnom Penh, and visited the killing fields and Tuol Sleng, a former school used as the notorious S-21 Prison by the Khmer Rouge regime.

They also endured a 10-hour trip to work at the David Centre Orphanage, which is in a remote place called Anlong Veng, by the Cambodian border with Thailand.

Laura, 28, from Stockton, who hopes to specialise in women's health when she qualifies, said: 'I knew this would be a once in a lifetime experience and not only did I get to travel to the Far East, but I was able to combine my love of nursing and complete an international work placement at the same time. We all had the most incredible experience.'

Joanna, 29, from Dalton, near Thirsk, added: 'I’d not had any experience of working in either A&E or maternity back in the UK, so that was a completely new learning experience for me. I also love to experience new cultures and try new things and was determined to sample the cuisine.'

Graham Jones, Senior Lecturer in Nursing Skills, who joined the girls during their expedition through his involvement with the charity, said: 'The students are a great bunch of girls. They were an absolute credit to themselves, the charity and the University.

'Not only did they help share clinical knowledge with their Cambodian colleagues, they gave up their time using their own holidays and financing their own trips, which is no mean feat on a student nurse bursary. They should all feel very proud of themselves.'

Transform Healthcare Cambodia was set up in 2011 by a team of North-East NHS healthcare staff with the aim of helping to provide healthcare, education, training and clinical expertise to support Cambodian doctors, nurses and midwives in Battambang.

Find out more about the Transform Healthcare Cambodia charity.

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