The University of Nevada, Reno Orvis School of Nursing welcomed Japanese nursing students to campus earlier this month for an intensive six-day international nursing program. Major topics and issues include nursing and health care in the U.S. through lectures and guided tours of local health care facilities. The visiting students inquired about nursing and caring, examined nursing theories and concepts and evaluated applications for nursing practice from cross-cultural perspectives.

"The opportunity for these students to learn about nursing through University-based interaction is an invaluable experience that the Orvis School of Nursing was happy to provide," said Patsy Ruchala, Orvis School of Nursing director and international nursing study program coordinator.

One of the many highlights of the exchange program took place in Orvis' skills lab. The visitors experienced the topic of nursing and technology using three of the Orvis School's nursing simulators. Orvis' newest simulator is called 'Noelle.' It is the only maternity simulator on campus and was used to teach the Japanese students about birthing babies, uterus care and blood loss.

"Our newest simulator is our most exciting," nursing professor Melinda Hoskins said. "Students are able to experience a variety of birth complications in a lab setting. This allows them to practice how they should handle similar situations during a real delivery. Students hear the baby's heart rate, learn how to handle vertex or breech births and deal with shoulder dystocia or stuck shoulders."

In addition to working with the simulators, students interacted with Orvis faculty members and College of Health and Human Sciences representatives. Students learned about American nursing levels of practice and scope of practice; current research; complementary therapies and therapeutic touch; women's health; perspectives of transcultural nursing; and current trends and issues in professional nursing.

Students also visited the Washoe County Health Department, Orvis Nursing Clinic, Sanford Center for Aging and Rehabilitative Nursing Care facility at Renown.

The objectives of this cross-cultural exchange program included:

• Comparing and contrasting health care and nursing care in the U.S. with that of Japan
• Examining various specialized areas of nursing, and integrating nursing concepts from these areas into their own professional nursing practice
• Discussing several major health care problems and nursing implications of each
• Viewing and describing various health care facilities and public health programs within Northern Nevada
• Exploring multicultural values and beliefs
• Participating in the shared international dialogue among nursing professionals

Through education, research, and community outreach, the College of Health and Human Sciences is dedicated to the development of tomorrow's leaders who will help build a healthy Nevada through the prevention and resolution of the issues that challenge people's everyday lives.

Founded in 1874 as Nevada's oldest, land-grant university the University of Nevada, Reno has more than 16,000 students, four campuses and hosts Cooperative Extension services in all Nevada counties. It is ranked as one of the country's top 150 research institutions by the Carnegie Foundation, and is home to America's sixth-largest study abroad program, as well as the state's oldest and largest medical school.