Exchange report - incoming students
Home university: Universitetet i Stavanger
Study programme: Nursing (specialists)
Exchange programme: NordPlus
Semester: Spring semester 2012/2013

Arrival and registration

I did not use the offer of pick-up at the airport and the introdution day -since it was some weeks before the 5 week internship. The contact the student health care center was very good and effective.

Acommendation

I was pleased to get accommodation through the UAC. It was fine student arrangement. 

Leisure time and social activities

I was impressed of the opportunities send via exchange-students-emails from KI although I did not have the time or need to participate.

Pre-departure

I am Danish, living in Norway and I chose to apply for 5 weeks clinical internship at KI, since I am interested in how intensive care nursing is practised in Scandinavia. KI seemed to be a dynamic and interesting university with good options for clinical practice. The application periode for both clinical department and accomodation needed some reminder emails during almost 4 months, but after confirmation the information from KI and KI accomodation was very informative and welcoming. Even though I was only there for 5 weeks in clinical practice, I had information and access to facilities as if I was staying for 2 years.
I was required to take the MRSA-test in Sweden according to Swedish rules.

Courses during the exchange period

2EE095 : Advanced nursing - clinical education
I only attended clinical practice descriped earlier.

Summary

My general impression of the 5 week clinical periode at THIVA was very good and welcoming.
Including a high standard in health care and research environment. I was glad to have access to good fascilities at the library in both Solna and Huddinge.
The only things I would like to point out as less positive were the process in applying for an account to print and copy at the library as a foreigner (not Swedish person). The Pay-ex (maybe I remember this name wrong) account was almost impossible to get as a foreigner, and I first had response on my application when I was back in Norway.
To have access to the data at the hospital departments we had to use a chip card for the security. It was a new initiative, but the card did not work.

Language and Culture

I did not participate in Swedish language course (I speak Danish and Norwegian).

Studies in general

I was only attending clinical practice in specialized nursing at the Thorax Intensive Care Department (THIVA) in Solna.
In the city I live in in Norway I did clinical practice at a general intensive care department and THIVA was a very specialized department. I found it interesting to experience the breadth of my profession and to experience differences in details in how to optimize security for patients and health care professionals.