Practical experience helps nursing students excel
Students from the nursing school of Shanghai Medical College Fudan University help autistic children with rehabilitation.
A course for nursing majors at Shanghai Medical College Fudan University has been recognized as the city's key course.
Students are required to go to special children's centers, nursing homes for the elderly, rehabilitation facilities, and breast-feeding and infant care centers to serve patients and people needing help instead of listening to their teachers in classroom.
"We specially designed the course for students to have close and independent thinking and analysis of these people's problems and demands," said Zhao Ying, the course designer and vice dean of the college's nursing school.
"We want them to 'see' the exact human behind their diseases and offer really human-centered theory and caring."
School officials said people at the four centers are the most vulnerable groups, who need help the most.
"They are the major target for care and support," Zhao said.
"Traditionally, our course is fulfilled at laboratories, training centers and hospitals. We take students to these centers, where they can see such people outside hospital and have a better understanding of their demands. It is the purpose of medical education."
A student teaches an autistic child with her own materials.
Undertaking the course, students should fulfil a four-week theory study at school and then a seven-week practice in one center, combing what they have learnt in the classroom into practice. Students should prepare their own plans to the targets which they serve.
"Students come here with their own teaching materials and plans to play with autistic children and discuss with us how to perfect their plan to help children," said Gu Lina, director of a special children center.
Student Li Shiyu added: "The process of accompanying autistic children to rehabilitation is also a process for my own growth. After staying with them for weeks, I will use a new point of view to understand them and think about more methods to help them".
To better experience and understand elderly's patients demands, young students wear special outfit simulating partial paralysis.
"Putting on these outfits, I can't see clearly and can't move my body easily. I deeply learnt how difficult it is for a sick elderly people," said Zeng Xin, a second-year student at nursing school.
"So I generate more understanding, patience and respect for them. I also integrated my feeling into my plan to help these elderly people by more practical and useful methods."
Based on the success of the course, nursing school officials said they are considering promoting it to more majors in the university.
A student puts on special outfit to experience the feeling of being elderly.
