Student Exchange Reportat Kobe University, Japan

written byMs.Saowaluck Chundee
Faculty of Nursing
Chiangmai University
ThailandStudent Exchange Report

Participating in the student exchange program is a great opportunities for me.
I learn many things from participated in this program such as life, different culture,
language, nursing study and also the health system services in Japan.

Orientation and welcome party
On the 2nd of October 2013,The next day after I arrived Japan, I went to thefaculty at Myodani campus to participated in the orientation and welcome party. That
was my first time to use subway. There is a different point of transportation in Japanand Thai. In Thai, we do not have a subway, so I tried to use it and it's good. In myopinion I think Japan have a good and comfortable transportation system, people
can go anywhere easily. At first I think that taking subway to somewhere seems likely
to be hard but it is not like that at all. It's easy and very comfortable. Moreover,Japanese people usually walk, they walk very much. When I stay in Japan, I have tochange my lifestyle, walk more like Japanese people.
I had an orientation about the program's plan and my schedule plan in themorning, and in the late afternoon is welcome party. I had a special chance to makeJapanese folding paper "Origami" and harvest potatoes at the faculty's garden. It wasvery excited. I had new friends and new experience about harvest potatoes.
At welcome party I met important persons of the faculty. For instance, thedean and teachers. We had a little talk, exchanged some experiences and enjoyedBBQ party together. In this party I knew about Japanese snack name "Mochi". In Thai
we have a snack named like this but it is different in ingredients, appearance andhow to cook it.

Study visit at university hospital
Maternity ward
The first time I visited the university hospital, I visited at the maternity ward. In
this ward, NICU, delivery room and perinatal care unit are located in the same area. It
is easy for nurses to take care of their patients and provide nursing care to them. On
Monday morning, all of the staff such as pediatric doctors, midwifes andpharmacologist have mix conference together for discussion about treatment andcare providing for patients. Moreover, in every morning, every nurses in this ward (3unit) have mix conference together. They have to report about the patient's conditionand nursing care that patients are needed. After that they separate to their own unit.
In my university hospital, it is different because every nurses have a conference onlyat their own unit, no mix conference that included these three unit (NICU, Delivery
room and perinatal care unit). In Thai, nurses and midwifes are not separated. Allnurses have to renew their license every five years. In Japan, even though nurses
and midwifes are separated, but they do not have to renew their license.
Operating Room
I observed the operation that provided by doctors such as liver operation,
bladder operation and brain operation. Moreover I had a good opportunity to observethe operation that done by robot. It called "operating robot". This robot helps doctor tooperate patient. I was surprised and I think It is very high technology that I havenever seen before.
In the operating room, there are two types of nurses that work here. First isscrub nurse who setting up the room before the operation, working with the doctor
during surgery and preparing the patient for the move to the recovery room. Second
is circulating nurse who responsible for managing the nursing care of the patient
within the OR and coordinating the needs of the surgical team with other careprovider necessary for completion of surgery. Circulating nurse observes the surgery
and surgical team from broad perspective and must be able to anticipate the scrub
nurse’s needs and be able to open sterile packs, operate machinery and keep
accurate records. In Thai, the roles of scrub nurse's and circulating nurse's are same
like in Japan.
ICU, Brain Injury Unit and Orthopedic Ward
In ICU ward, ICU is separated into medical ICU, surgical ICU and emergency
ICU. There is RST round every Monday afternoon. All of the staff round the ward byvisiting the patients room by room and discussion about treatment for each patient toimprove patients' clinical condition.
In brain injury unit, I saw an invention name "call mat". When stroke patients orbrain injury patients who lost of conscious or unconscious step on it, it will alarm tothe nurse station and then nurse can come to check for patient immediately. It help
nurses take care of patients comfortably. Furthermore, In orthopedic ward, there is an
automatic bath cube which is very helpful for patient who have injuries and cannot

move to take a bath. These are medical equipments that provided convenience topatients.
Community Nursing"18 month old check-up" program and program for child-rearing mothers
I observed the "18 month old check-up" program at community health center in
Nishinomiya city. This program is for assess the children's health condition such asintelligence and growth development. It is provided by public health nurse withcooperating of pediatric doctor, dentist, nutritionist and psychologist. Nurse assesschildren's health condition, growth development and provide health education .
Pediatric doctors do the physical exam and dentists check the children's teeth.
Nutritionist give advices to mothers about appropriate diet for children. In some casethat children have a health problem or poor health condition, mothers will be upset
about their children's health, the psychologist help mothers relief their stress by give
advices and talk with mothers to make them feel better. I think this is a holistic healthcare for both mothers and children. Moreover there are another program for motherand children that provide by public health nurse which is the program for "child –rearing mothers". The purpose of this program is for mothers to make friends. Afterthat they can exchange their experiences about child-rearing to other people andthey don't feel alone anymore.
Awaji island
I participated in “ 100 years exercise” program with local elderly people in
Awaji island. This program is also provided by public health nurse. Elderly people inAwaji pay attention to this program and participate the program twice a week. This
program encourage elderly people to take care of their health by exercise andincluded nutritional diet intake. Public health nurse work with communities or specificpopulation groups within the community to develop public policy and targeted healthpromotion and disease prevention activities. They provide health education, caremanagement and primary care to individuals, families and groups that are membersof community especially who are members of vulnerable populations or high risk
groups.
Nursing studiesFundamental class
I participated in Fundamental class with second-year nursing students in thetopic of dressing, wearing sterile gloves, bandage and injection. They have a lecturewith watching live video of the demonstration that demonstrated by teacher. This
style of learning help students concentrate to the lesson more than just have a lecture
only. Furthermore, teachers use color technique by painting a different color on thedifferent site of bandages and show how to bandage. This technique help students
understand how to bandage easily with no confusion.
In the part of injection, In the laboratory, there are an innovation name "Halisute box" which help taking the needles away without touching. I have never seen
this innovation before, so I really surprised how this innovation is convenient for
nurses.