Completion Report of Student Exchange Program “Education of Global Medical andHealth Science Leaders in the Coming Generation in Cooperation and Collaboration with
ASEAN Countries” at Kobe University Graduate School of Health Science(11th January-11th March, 2016)
Reported by Wimonporn Srichote
Master degree student, Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Thailand
As a postgraduate student of Faculty of Nursing at Chiang Mai University, I had a good opportunity forparticipating in the Student Exchange Program at Kobe University Graduate School of Health Science. I had
wonderful chances to participate in many activities, both inside and outside the university. Each activity gave
me a different taste of experiences. Some are very useful to imply into my master thesis and my career.
In Myodani campus, I had chances to attend special English lectures that provided by Kobe University
instructors. The contents of lectures were relevant to Community nursing, Psychiatric nursing, Family nursingand Gerontology nursing. Form these lectures, I realized that an increasing of elderly population becomes a big
problem in Japan as same as Thailand.
I had a chance to participate in an International teleconference research seminar on infectious disease andhealth promotion between Airlangga University, Chiang Mai University and Kobe University. On Friday
evening every other week, I participated in Professor Dr. Hiroya Matsuo laboratory conference. In thisconference, postgraduate students presented their research in many areas and after that we discussed about itand shared our opinions. In addition, I had the opportunity to present my master thesis, too.

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I visited 2 hospitals in Hyogo Prefecture; Kobe University hospital and Hyogo Prefectural Rehabilitation
Chuobyoin and 1 Japanese community setting on Awaji Island.
At Kobe University hospital, I visited Department of Chronic Illness, Department of Acute Operation
room, Intensive Care Unit and Cooperation of community department. I saw many things that different fromthe hospital that I worked before I became postgraduate student. In this hospital, technology such as personal
computers and iPod were used to record patient information for example vital signs or every treatment that
medical professionals done for patients. It’s called paperless system. Many technologies were also used in safety
and security system. They have television at nurses station that monitor patients in high risk condition. Theyuse the mat inside or in front of neurological patient’s room and it will be alarm when patients try to get out of
bed or room and tread on it. For the patients’ room, it has 4 beds in one room and use curtain to provide privacyof patients and their family. This hospital has referral system, in this system nurses or doctors have to sendpatient discharge request of the ward to Cooperation of community department via online system. The staff of
this department will arrange follow to the checklist of suitable places for patients after discharge suchrehabilitation hospital, another hospital or go back home.

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At Hyogo Prefectural Rehabilitation Chuobyoin, I learn about stroke patients’ care system from hospital
to home. This hospital has a clinical pathway to care stroke patient. Nurses have a conference with themultidisciplinary care team for planning, treatment and rehabilitation to improve the patients’ activity of dailyliving. They have a big conference for patients goal setting and assessment of the readiness to go back home.
Before discharge the stroke patients, they have conference with family caregiver and care manager incommunity, and prepare patient to go back home such as training patient in activity of daily living and homevisit to assess problem of patient's house. If it's not suitable for patient condition, it will need to renovate andrecheck again after it’s finished.
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I went to Awaji City on Awaji Island to visit the place in community that held Iki 100 Taisou program(an exercise for being active until 100 years old). This program was provided by public health nurses andphysical therapist. Elderly people who live in the community and do not need long-term care are the target of
this program. The purposes of this program are to prevent of falling accident, dementia and retreating.

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On that day, the exercise class was for training people in the community who would like to be exercise
leader in their community. The participants were not only older people but young people were interested in thisclass, too. In my opinion, this program is good for older people to maintain or improve their health status. It
also improved their socialization and created new networks among members.
I had a chance to visit Nojima Fault Preservation Museum or Hokudan Earthquake Museum. Inside thismuseum, a section of the Nojima Fault, responsible for the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake is preserved. Themuseum memorializes the damage sustained from the famous 1995 Kobe earthquake and includes a preservedbuilding broken in half, an earthquake simulator that we can ride, cracks in the ground and walls and otherdamage to help one appreciate the extent of the quake.

5Outside the university, I got many experiences because Japan is different from Thailand. I learned manythings about how to live in Japan for example, how to use the train that made me feel nervous before I went toJapan because it is not generally used in my country. I learn how to use an escalator in Kansai area that is not
same in my country. I went to Kansai area sightseeing places including Kobe, Kyoto, Osaka and Nara with myJapanese friends. There are very attractive places to visit in both old and modern style.

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