Peter Draper writes:
I recently gave a paper and led a workshop
on the topic of nursing competencies, at a conference organized by the Faculty
of Nursing of Damanhur University in Egypt.
The university was established about 8 years ago, having formerly been a
branch of Alexandria University. The
Faculty of Nursing has a separate building, and a dental faculty is currently
being constructed, suggesting that, as in the UK, health embedding itself more
securely as a leading feature in the higher education landscape.
The conference was conducted in both Arabic
and English. The opening ceremony was
very formal. I sat next to the
Undersecretary for Health and other dignitaries, to assist in making numerous
awards (I’m not sure what they were for) to recipients including military
nurses, student prizewinners, and members of staff, and I also received two
splendid plaques to grace my office! I
began my paper by confessing that I know very little Arabic apart from the
traditional greeting ‘Salam Alaikum’ – for which I received a big round of
applause and a cheer.
On the second day of my visit I held a
3-hour workshop on competencies in education, and this enabled me to discuss
the state of nursing internationally with students and staff. There is a lot that’s great about nursing
education in Egypt. They have a
four-year undergraduate programme, with an additional compulsory internship to
embed their students’ professional learning. The nursing research programme is
rapidly growing, and I heard some very interesting papers. However professional life also has its
challenges. The government is currently
reducing the size of its payroll and universities are reducing their staffing
complement; and as a predominantly female profession, Egyptian nurse colleagues
can also find themselves constrained in a male-dominated world.
I was treated like a celebrity throughout
my stay. Students took hundreds of
selfies with me, and I signed and stamped almost a thousand certificates. I am grateful for the hospitality of
colleagues (thank you Dr Mohammed, Dr Reem and Dr Reem, and also Dr Doaa) who
enabled me to enjoy local Egyptian food, and who drove me safely around. (Driving in Egypt? That’s another story – buy
me a coffee and I’ll tell you about it).
I left after my short trip with a great deal that is of value: a new
word in my Arabic vocabulary (shokran), a handsome bust of Tutankhamen (made in
China), a deeper understanding of international nursing, and some genuine
friendships with amazing colleagues.
I am grateful to Roger Watson, Tracey Heath
and Jane Wray who provided additional ideas and materials for my paper and
workshop.
