School of Nursing and Midwifery Bids Farewell to GVSU Team

The School of Nursing and Midwifery has organised a dinner for both faculty members and students from the Kirkhof College of Nursing, Grand Valley State University (GVSU), USA. The visiting students and faculty were in Ghana for an outreach programme to familiarise themselves with the Ghanaian healthcare systems. The collaboration between the Department of Nursing and Midwifery and the GVSU Public Health Nursing which started in 2013 is aimed at establishing and improving partnership with both local and international collaborators in the area of Public Health. Speaking at the dinner, the Head of the delegation of GVSU, Prof. Sylvia Mapepe, commended Ghana for the quality of healthcare system and its impact on public health. She thanked management, staff and students, particularly School of Nursing and Midwifery, for the cordial and warm hospitality accorded the delegation. Prof. Mapepe noted that the partnership between GVSU and UCC was a life-time programme, adding, "My desire for seeking partnership with UCC to gain international knowledge, skills and information about caring for Global citizens for my students has been fruitful ". For his part, the Dean of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Prof. Alex Pappoe, expressed gratitude to the delegation for the visit. Prof. Pappoe urged both faculty and students of GVSU to use the knowledge acquired through their studies in Ghana to benefit society. Sharing her experience of the outreach programme, a Doctor of Nursing Practice, Laura Hall, lauded Ghanaian nurses in the various community healthcare centers for their professionalism and care for their patients. A Master of Science in Nursing student, Danielle Hartig, also observed that nurses in Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Zones were very open and courteous to their patients. Also sharing her observation, a Traditional Nursing student, Kaylee Case, indicated that she was overwhelmed by the support of local authorities in the communities for helping to promote the health needs of people in their area. The School of Nursing and Midwifery presented souvenirs to their visitors, who also reciprocated the kind gesture by donating assorted books and GVSU branded souvenirs to the School.