Our teaching partners, CWCH and U of Vermont

Each year, a group of BS (nursing) students studying under Dr. Hendrika Maltby  at U of Vermont visit Bangladesh and IUBAT as part of their community  health field experience. In January 2012, their fieldwork included observation and practice at one of our teaching hospital partner sites, CWCH – the Centre for Woman and Child Health in Savar. Photos show students working with CWCH Nursing Director, Sister Margaret Sarkar. At the request of the CWCH medical director, Dr. Khurshid Talukder, Dr. Maltby provided some feedback, noting that the students were very impressed with how much can happen with the resources at hand.  “It was powerful to see how the millennium development goals are being put into action at CWCH.”

“This experience helps me to realize that patient care can be provided without the use of fancy equipment.  It is about how compassionate you are and how much you are willing to give.”

Overall, praise for CWCH is high and students appreciated the opportunity to spend time there.

Immunization Day at IUBAT

Rotary Clubs world-wide sponsor child immunization programs, usually coinciding with government initiatives. IUBAT has strong connections with Rotary Club of Greater Dhaka which provided the vaccines for the national polio eradication drive held last February. Using the IUBAT campus, this annual event attracts local residents of all ages. Under the guidance of faculty member RN Shamsun Nahar, IUBAT College of Nursing students organize the event, register clients and administer vaccines. In time, we hope to develop a primary health care clinic to serve the neighbourhood shanty-dwellers.

Strengthening our partnership with United Hospital

United Hospital Limited is one of the best hospitals in Bangladesh. IUBAT Nursing students practice medical-surgical nursing on its cardiac, general medicine and neurosciences wards. Visiting faculty provide workshops for the nursing staff there. In early 2012, UHL opened its own nursing school. Karen Lund and Alex Berland toured the facility and delivered a gift of textbooks, visiting with UHL Director Education, Mme. Hanufa Ahmed (L), Vice-Principal, Major Nazneen (C) and  Principal, RN Momtaz Khanum (R). We look forward to on-going collaboration to strengthen nurse education in Bangladesh.