Title : International training program at the wolfson medical centre
Abstract:
Background: Save a Child’s Heart (SACH) is an international, non-profit organization providing cardiac treatment to children from developing countries at the Wolfson Medical Center in Holon, Israel. SACH considers the training of local teams as an inseparable activity alongside the care of the children. It provides quality training that meets international standards. Global health is an area for research and practice that places a priority on improving and achieving equality in health for everyone1. Nursing faculties increasingly recognize the importance of exposing students to diverse cultures through studying abroad thereby enriching knowledge and understanding of ethical nursing and healthcare practice2. Nurses from culturally, economically and politically diverse countries can build capacity at host institutions to strengthen international nursing care, research and education3. However, international experiences for nurses can be complex to arrange and implement. Until now, nurses in training were not allowed to practice clinically, but only receive training through observation and acquisition of knowledge. After they returned to their home countries, we were not able to receive feedback to assess the quality of our training. Building a cross-cultural training program for nurses in the care of children undergoing cardiac treatment gives nurses the opportunity to acquire theoretical knowledge alongside clinical skills in order to promote nursing in their home country.
Method: Nurses arrive for a period of three months. The preparation involved includes choosing candidates according to their level of professional knowledge and English skills; preparation of a training program and their absorption into our facility. At the end of training, nurses receive a certificate from the Israeli Ministry of Health.
Conclusion: The nurses gain knowledge that they could not have gleaned otherwise.
