Four bachelor’s students and two PhD students from the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) are visiting the University of Agder (UiA) this spring as part of the international collaboration project CAPABLE. During their four-week stay, the students are participating in clinical placements, seminars and academic activities alongside students and staff at UiA.
The aim is to strengthen international perspectives in health education and promote learning across countries and healthcare systems.
“Through this collaboration, students gain insight into different ways of organising healthcare services. This provides a foundation for reflecting on their own practice and may contribute to the development of more sustainable healthcare services in the future,” says Trygve Johannes Lereim Sævareid, project coordinator and responsible for the bachelor students’ exchange programme.
The students follow a programme that combines clinical placements, seminars and collaboration with Norwegian nursing students in Grimstad. They gain first-hand experience of how the Norwegian healthcare system is organised and how different professions work together to support patients.
Learning from Different Healthcare Systems
During their stay, the students compare the American and Norwegian healthcare systems, with a particular focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, patient pathways and communication between healthcare professionals and families.
Through group work and seminars, the students discuss topics such as care for older adults with dementia and chronic illnesses, and how different healthcare systems influence treatment and follow-up care.
“Norway places a greater emphasis on patients’ needs and satisfaction than on economic efficiency. It has been interesting to see how this affects healthcare services,” says bachelor’s student Grace Walsh.
One example from the programme is a series of collaborative workshops where American and Norwegian students work together on clinical case studies and compare how patient care is organised in the two countries.
Internationalisation in Practice
Over the past several years, UiA has worked strategically to strengthen internationalisation within health and nursing education. The collaboration with UNMC is one of several initiatives designed to provide students with experience in international cooperation and global perspectives on health and healthcare.
In addition to the bachelor’s students, two PhD students from UNMC are participating in academic activities at UiA and Sørlandet Hospital. Their programme includes visits to the neonatal intensive care unit at Sørlandet Hospital in Kristiansand, where they meet researchers, healthcare professionals and PhD candidates from UiA.
Data collection related to the PhD students’ research projects is being conducted during the visit in collaboration with supervisors from UNMC and co-authors from UiA and the neonatal intensive care unit at Sørlandet Hospital.
“What has impressed me most is the seamless continuity of care families receive between the hospital and home. At the neonatal intensive care unit, I have seen how infants can return home while still receiving follow-up support from the hospital. This provides families with continuity and allows them to be at home sooner while still receiving the support they need,” says PhD student Mindy Pariser-Schmidt.
The exchange also contributes to academic development and inspiration for professional communities at both UiA and Sørlandet Hospital.
“At UiA, staff, students and supervisors from UNMC are discussing educational challenges related to artificial intelligence, hybrid teaching and active learning. At Sørlandet Hospital, healthcare professionals are exchanging experiences on family-integrated care, stress among premature infants and safe sleep practices,” says Anne Marit Føreland, who coordinates the PhD students’ stay in Kristiansand.
Experiences from Clinical Practice
For the bachelor’s students, the clinical placement has provided valuable insight into how mental health services are organised in Norway. Several students highlight the close follow-up of people with mental health challenges and substance use disorders as one of the most educational aspects of their stay.
“What surprised me most about the Norwegian healthcare system is that everyone has equal access to healthcare services, regardless of their financial situation, life circumstances or personal challenges,” says Madi Mishou.
The students also describe how healthcare professionals provide long-term follow-up and collaborate across services to support people in their daily lives.
“I am impressed by how people continue to receive support after leaving institutions or hospitals. It creates a continuity of care that we do not always see in the same way in the United States,” says Cece Dung.
The visit has also offered insight into cultural differences.
“Everyone has been much friendlier than I expected. People have been very welcoming, which has made it easier to get to know both students and staff,” says Grace Walsh.
The exchange programme concludes with a seminar at UiA, where the students present their experiences and reflections to fellow students and academic staff.
“This experience has given me renewed motivation to work towards better access to healthcare services. What I have learned in Norway has shown me how important accessible healthcare is for people’s wellbeing,” says Madi Mishou.
CAPABLE
CAPABLE stands for A Community Academic Partnership Across the USA and Norway for sustainaBLE Nursing Education.
The project is a collaboration between the University of Agder (UiA) and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC).
This spring, four bachelor’s students and two PhD students from UNMC are visiting UiA.
The students participate in clinical placements, seminars and academic activities in Grimstad and at Sørlandet Hospital.
Key themes include interdisciplinary collaboration, patient pathways and differences between the Norwegian and American healthcare systems.
The programme concludes with a seminar at UiA where students present their experiences and reflections.
Bachelor’s degree in Nursing (Kristiansand) (in Norwegian)