VPVS – Healthcare: International nursing internship

*THEME/TYPE OF PROJECT: Healthcare *AIMS OF THE PROJECT : We offer nursing internships in Vietnam to those who looking to gain work experience and broaden their medical knowledge. Interns on this project will work in a hospital/clinic in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. These internships offer a direct insight into how local procedures and patient support are carried out in Vietnam compared to back home. The aim of project is give participants the chance to learn about how nurses work in the developing world and the challenges they face. Local professionals will want to share ideas with international participants and discuss treatment methods. All of this will be valuable experience for both participant and local staff. Working at a hospital/clinic in Ho Chi Minh city will give you a unique insight into Vietnamese culture. The local people will all want to hear about your life back home and your family and friends. This is a kind of ‘cultural exchange’ and it helps our participants gain a new perspective on life. *PROJECT’S ACTIVITIES: Nursing interns work in a fast paced environment and have various departments to choose from, including neurology, pediatrics, orthopedics, urology, etc. In the case, the nurse has experience, you can use your knowledge and training to help local staff as a volunteer nurse. At local hospital/clinic nurse can work on tasks such as: • Developing training course materials with the local team. • Working directly with patients and instructing the local team on performance standards. • Conducting training courses to main caregivers. • Observing the daily operations of the clinic/hospital and attending a weekly staff meeting to provide feedback and advice about operational procedures. • Giving comments and advice to the clinic/hospital leader regarding any ideas to improve the hospital/clinic’s performance. The working hours will be agreed between participant and the local staff, but will be mainly between 8.30am and 4.30pm. The daily schedule will vary and will be discussed with the supervisor. These projects run all year round. Nurse can decide how much time you can spare and we will help you to get the most out of it. *COMMUNITY CONTEXT: The hospitals & clinics on the project are located in different districts, in urban area of Ho Chi Minh city. Travelling by bus and the journey from the volunteer house is around 1 hour, but can be shorter or longer depending on traffic. *INTERN’S TASKS: As a nursing intern, your role is to help prepare surgical equipment for surgery, transfer patients to the operating rooms, and observe and care for patients after their surgeries. Some other tasks also can be assigned, depend on the placement supervisor and the situation of hospital/clinic. Showing initiative and building a good relationship with your fellow nurses will enable you to get the most out of your internship. Local staff will also be eager to practice their English with you, so you should spend some of your time speaking with them and you could even teach some informal English lessons.