[Graduate School of Global Nursing Science] International Midwifery Seminar held in Laos

Four graduate students from the Graduate Graduate School of Global Nursing Science participated in an international midwifery training program in Laos for two weeks from November 1 to 15. In the first week, they participated in a training program at Mahosot Hospital, a Lao University of Health Sciences in the capital Vientiane (a school with which our university has an MOU), and in the second week, they participated in outreach activities at Lao Friends Children's Hospital in Luang Prabang in the north.

This course aims to cultivate the skills necessary to understand reproductive health from a global perspective. At Mahosot Hospital, which handles over 2,500 births per year, the students split into two departments for the training: the labor and delivery department and the maternal and child health clinic (MCH), where they provided intrapartum care and prenatal checkups together with the staff. Laos is home to over 50 ethnic groups and has diverse sociocultural backgrounds. Through outreach activities, including home visits and health education in villages, they were reminded of the importance of viewing the women, children, and their families they care for from multiple perspectives, which was a valuable learning experience.

During the visit to the University of Health Sciences in Laos, the students observed classes and seminars. Prenatal checkups were conducted in a role-play format, with some students even participating. Seeing their peers studying to protect the health of mothers and children, even though they are from different countries, was both inspiring and a very valuable experience for the students.

In order to participate in the internship, the students made thorough preparations for their trip, including receiving guidance on crisis management and cross-cultural understanding, and were able to complete the two-week internship without any problems.

Here are some comments from participants of the training.
・Through the international midwifery training in Laos, I experienced firsthand the difficulties of accessing medical care. In Japan, with its universal health insurance system and well-developed transportation infrastructure, I took medical treatment for granted. However, in Laos, there were many barriers, including low insurance coverage rates, financial burdens, and a lack of transportation and information. I also learned that culture, including views on life and death and values, influences medical choices, and I realized the importance of culturally-informed care. This training and health education provided me with a valuable opportunity to reexamine what I take for granted and consider my attitude of respecting culture.
(Ms. Oka, a first-year student in the field of midwifery practice science)

・Through the international midwifery training in Laos, I was able to observe the current state of medical care and midwifery care, which differs from that in Japan, and learned the importance of understanding and respecting different cultures. Furthermore, by actually practicing health education, I realized the need for various creative approaches, such as media, to ensure that knowledge is not simply transmitted. Furthermore, during the outreach activities at Lao Friends Children's Hospital, which I accompanied, I was able to learn more about the living and home environments of the recipients by visiting and meeting them face-to-face, and I realized that this leads to individualized, high-quality care.
(Morita, 1st year student in the Midwifery Practice Science field)

(Source: Graduate School of Global Nursing Science)