Exchange report - incoming teachers
Home university: University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka
Study programme: Nursing
Exchange programme: Linnaeus-Palme
Semester: Spring semester 2008/2009
Duration: 22
Name: Eric Chisupa
Email address: ericchisupa@yahoo.com

Accommendation

The accomodation was arranged by the KI. The standard was okay and the rooms were comfortable. The only problem I found was that most notices in the bathroom and the toilet were in Swedish, despite the fact that 90% of the resident not knowing the language. I will suggest that along side Swedish, and since the accomodation is used by foreign students and teachers the notices should also be put in English. The washing machines also shouls have instructions in English.

Language and Culture

The lectures, discussion and seminars I was involved in were conducted in English. I did not experience any language barrier during my work at KI. I did not experience so much of Swedish culture, but the one I thought had the biggest cultural clash on me was the open expression of affection to each other. It was common to see people cuddling and kissing on the school ground ,on the streets. In my culture if students were found doing that they would be expelled from school immediately

Leisure time

I was invited to a number of homes of members of staff and I visited a number of interesting places in old town and the museum. The KI Staff were supportive on leisure activities, they even suggested most of the nice places we went to

 

Maybe in the future, the KI staff can consider organising a guided tour of Stockholm for visiting teachers so that they see the city. It is challenging moving around in Stockholm for someone who is new. By the time you start finding your way around the metro you are going back to your country, so a guided tour will be most beneficial.

 

I was also invited to a mingling party which I think was very important in knowing each other.

Miscellaneous

The overall impression was good. I enjoyed the experience. The staff at KI, in the wards and the students were all very friendly to me. They provided me with the needed support for me to enjoy my staff.

 

I would like to thank them all unreservedly.

Other activities

I carries out study visits to Breast Milk Bank at Södersjukhuset (Sös). In research contacts I had contacts with researchers and academicians who expalined to me the research process from the students thesis to the Phd thesis. I look at future collaboration to be in the area of research at my home institution. We have little emphasis on evidence based care instead we do more of lectures. 

Preparation

Our School of nursing has an agreement with KI. I was nominated by my school to be on this teacher exchange programe. I had to prepare a number of things before coming to Sweden. I had to get permission from the government and my employers. I also needed to take some vaccinations like the yellow fever vaccinations while in my country I signed the the contract, booked accomodation and received the invitation and insurance letters. Finally I had to apply for a visa at the Swedish embassy in Lusaka

Reflections

The teacher exchange program at KI will influence my teaching from now on. For instance, I will in the courses I will be teaching involve students more in their studying, i.e. using some form of Problem Based Learning and use of seminars.

 

At KI the relationship between the teachers and the students in very important, hence I will try to open to the student when I get back home though this will take sometime to achieve. I also found the students run ward to be interesting, hence the possibility of having one at UTH will be discussed with the hospital and School management.

 

The Milk Bank was also an area I was reflecting on. The need to explore the possibility of having a milk bank will be assessed.

Teaching

I was involved in classroom teaching, seminars and clinical teaching or supervision of students. At my institution in Lusaka we mainly use Lecture method of teaching. Other methods of teaching such as assignments, case studies and demostrations are also applied to supplement lecture method

 

At Karolinska the students are more involved in their learning for methosd like seminars are used extensively. The students at KI are very free with their teachers to the extent of calling them by their first name, while at Lusaka school of nursing where I come from the student teacher relationship is too official. Students are not allowed to call a teacher by the first name, insted they have use their family names or surnames at all times.

 

The similarities are that both at KI and my home institution students do both theory work and clinical placements. They first do their clinical training on dummies before they practice on real patients.

Teaching hours

I did an approximate of 10 hours of classroom presentations to both students and staff, and about 3 days of clinical exposure.