Health Students go on Exchange Visit to Japan

In June 2017, nine students - eight studying Adult Nursing and one studying Occupational Therapy - from the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, Canterbury Christ Church University, travelled to Konan Women's University (KWU) in Kobe, Japan.

This was the first time any Christ Church students have been on an exchange to Japan, and the visit included a tour of the Kobe Red Cross Hospital and Hyogo Emergency Department. Here the group learnt about disaster management and had a tour of the facilities including the new integrated Emergency Department.

Another visit was also arranged at the Nishinomiya Keiaikai Hospital. This is a purpose built rehabilitation centre and the group learnt about different approaches to rehabilitation and the work of a range of healthcare professionals in supporting people to be able to live independently in their own homes.

There was a lot of time spent with nursing students from KWU learning about healthcare, nursing and life in Japan. The Christ Church students and lecturers were taught about and experienced a traditional Japanese footbath, learnt basic Japanese phrases and found out about health care funding and provision in Japan. The cultural activities arranged included a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony, a visit to the university’s rare book collection and a poignant visit to the Kobe Earthquake Memorial Museum.

On the final day of the visit, the Christ Church students presented what they had gained from the trip to the KWU lecturers and students. One student commented on how interesting it was to “observe education from a different culture”; another noticed “how attention to detail and efficiency is evident everywhere” and one student was impressed that “first year students were taught massage”.

Following the return to the UK, the students are being supported to write reflections for two nursing journals. Plans are also being made for KWU to return to Christ Church in March 2018 and for Christ Church to visit KWU in June 2018.