Ailing Buddhist Monk among memories of nursing students
Published on 04 February, 2009
A Buddhist Monk with a chest infection, lying on a bamboo frame in a village, was just one of many memorable patients experienced by a group of our nursing students who visited Thailand recently.
Some of the students were also able to ease the painful pressure ulcers of a dying rice farmer who was treated under his house. They also gathered money to help his wife cope with the lack of farm income.
A total of 8 students and 2 academics from CQUniversity spent 4 weeks of their summer break on a volunteer nursing placement in the Surin region of Thailand. Their visit was organised by Antipodeans Abroad and Thailand's Starfish organisation.
Dr Kerry Reid-Searl, who helped her colleague Teresa Sander coordinate the visit, said the Thailand experience was one of the most rewarding of her career as a nursing academic.
She said the Australian students rotated among the Surin Hospital and the local schools, nurseries and orphanages. They also joined community nurses conducting clinics and village visits.
"Our students spent most of their hospital time in the paediatric ward and learnt to adapt and use the power of non-verbal communication to interact with staff, children and their families," Dr Reid-Searl said.
"The concept of family centred care was very much apparent and students learnt how caring the Thai people are.
"Families would gather around the children's beds and cots to provide care. In some cases mothers would sit beneath the cot as space was an issue.
Dr Reid-Searl treating a Buddhist monk
"Students helped provide care and watched in awe how skilled the Thai nurses were."
Dr Reid-Searl said the Australian students contributed to health teaching in schools, including topics about HIV, Aids, diabetes, healthy eating, hand-washing and teeth cleaning.
[She noted that a particular condom-training resource - a silicone penis nicknamed ‘Richard' - caused quite a stir when detected at airport security checks.]
"The students' presence at the schools was fantastic. We were treated with a huge amount of respect and banners welcomed us, food was served and children loved the games played after the education sessions. We all became quite skilled at soccer."
Dr Reid-Searl said another memorable event was watching students brighten one of the Thai nurseries with paint. They painted walls, concrete floor and play equipment for an entire day.
"Working with the community nurse clinics and village visits, our students were able to participate in undertaking vital signs, weighing and measuring infants and children, dressings, removing sutures and practicing holistic assessment skills.
"They would watch in awe as the Thai nurses would take a health history, make a diagnosis and manage, including prescribing. Whilst the equipment in the clinics was at times minimal again the students learnt about how versatile, gentle, caring and competent the local nurses were."
"On the afternoon village visits, the cases included HIV Aids, cancer, wounds, diabetes, pneumonia, renal failure etc. Students were able to actually do hands on care. Dressing skills with minimal equipment grew as did their assessment skills."
Dr Reid-Searl said the visiting academics and nurses were able to spend the end of each week touring and had some amazing experiences in Thailand, as well as during brief visits to neighbouring Cambodia and Laos.
"Each of us became quite skilled at hailing down a tuk tuk driver and negotiating a price for the ride, or riding pushbikes supplied by Starfish and negotiating other bikes, tuk tuks, cars and even the occasional elephant."
She said the project was an overwhelming success as "students learnt the value of caring and importantly that what nurses do across the globe has an impact on individuals and families".
Erin Latham meeting one of the Thai nurses
"Our students spoke about how proud they are to be nurses, how much they have learnt about themselves and how they will try not to take things for granted."
"Our final experience and perhaps one of the most rewarding in terms of exchange of information about teaching and learning was a visit to Borommarjonnani College of Nursing. We were most warmly welcomed."
Vicki Zahl enjoys her visit 
Dr Kerry Reid-Seal is observed by Erin Latham and Justine Pollitt 
Students helped the children relax 
The visitors are (top from left) Lea Vieth, Geraldine O'Connor, Justine Pollitt, Vicki Zahl and Dr Kerry Reid-Searl and (bottom from left) Erin Latham and Emma Benecke