UMass Dartmouth hosts nursing students from the University of the Azores

FALL RIVER – Vanduir Muniz, who recently moved to Fall River from Brazil, entered Source Hub hoping to get some language assistance with a letter he had received, but ended up leaving with lots of information regarding good health and preventive care and getting free blood pressure and glucose checks.

Dedicated to connecting individuals with services to enhance their quality of life, Source Hub happened to be hosting a health and wellness resource fair, which was being offered as part of the ‘VIII Bridging the Atlantic’ international nursing student exchange between UMass Dartmouth and the University of the Azores.

On April 13, about 20 nursing students from UMass Dartmouth and the University of the Azores provided a variety of health education information and resources, ranging from safe and healthy living to mental well-being and reproductive health. They also performed screenings for hypertension and diabetes and calculated body mass index.

“It was a wonderful experience. They provided great service and very useful information,” Muniz told O Jornal. “The team was very well structured. I give it a ten. It was like going to a doctor’s appointment.”

Source Hub CEO Fernanda Silveira said she could not be happier with the outcome of the health fair.

“We had quite a few people come in and get the resources that they need,” she said. “They [students] were very big on prevention and outreach, and it’s really important to have them here. So, we were very happy that we were able to make this partnership. Especially when there’s a language barrier, when we have events like this, where they can talk to someone in their native language, it makes all the difference.”

Twelve third-year nursing students from the University of the Azores, along with two professors, were in the Southcoast from April 9 to 17 as part of the exchange program.

The Portuguese students worked collaboratively with UMass Dartmouth students on a community health project addressing ‘Immigration and Health Challenges and Implications.’ Their findings were presented at a symposium held April 11 at the Dartmouth campus.

“Access to healthcare is a critical concern to immigrants, encompassing a range of barriers such as economic limitations, language differences and cultural disparities,” said UMass Dartmouth nursing student Sydney Boland, who served as the symposium’s MC alongside University of the Azores nursing student Daniela Couto.

“These obstacles can significantly hinder immigrants from fully utilizing healthcare services. In light of these challenges, this symposium is to facilitate a meaningful discussion on the complexities surrounding immigrants’ access to healthcare. By addressing these issues, we aim to shed light on the evolving dynamics and initiatives being implemented to better support immigrant healthcare needs,” she added.

Dr. Maryellen Brisbois, who coordinates the “Bridging the Atlantic” program at UMass Dartmouth, said exchange students work every year on a different topic associated with vulnerable populations. They chose migration because it is currently an important public health issue.

“Now more than ever, with all the challenges in the world, I think that from a nursing perspective, we really have a duty to take care of all people and the migrants right now are probably one of the most vulnerable populations,” she said. “It is imperative in today’s global society that nurses are open minded, culturally competent, and open to collaborative efforts on behalf of vulnerable individual groups.”

The Azorean delegation also had the opportunity to attend classes at UMass Dartmouth, tour Charlton Memorial Hospital and HealthFirst Family Care Center, and visit some other local sites.

Helder Rocha Pereira, who coordinates “Bridging the Atlantic” in the Azores, said about 160 students have taken advantage of the exchange program since its inception in 2015. The program took a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic.

“It’s a program that has a huge impact on students, and also on the agencies and vulnerable populations they work with,” he said. “Regarding the students, we ask them to do a lot of work in one semester, but they will have a fantastic experience that will enable them to develop themselves not only in an academic but also in a professional way, and they will develop so many soft skills that are so really necessary in this current world.”

Mariana Amaral, a student at the Higher School of Health at the Ponta Delgada campus of the University of the Azores, said she would be returning to Portugal with a broader view of healthcare and a better understanding of diversity.

“I knew it was going to be an experience that would make me grow a lot and help improve my self-esteem and communication skills in another language,” she said. “Learning about other cultures, with people who have other visions both in terms of health and globally, is very important for us to become better professionals and better educated to respond to the needs of the population in general. Taking part in this project has been very rewarding.”

Beatriz Ávila, a student at the Higher School of Health at the Terceira campus, agreed.

“Getting to know other realities will allow me to be a better professional because I will understand what those people’s needs are and what their real difficulties are,” she said.

“Although we know the migrant population is a minority, and it is vulnerable and discriminated, we only fully realize this when we carry out work and research this subject.”

Since the exchange program is bilateral, Dr. Brisbois traveled to the Azores over spring break with nine undergraduate UMass Dartmouth nursing students and a PhD. student.

In São Miguel, they had the opportunity to visit the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital, the Vila Franca do Campo Health Center and the International Hospital of the Azores in Lagoa, as well as take part in an intervention at the Association of Immigrants in the Azores (AIPA) and do some sightseeing.

Students who visited Terceira had the chance to visit the Santo Espírito Hospital and the Air Force unit responsible for conducting rescue missions in the North Atlantic.

‘Bridging the Atlantic’ was established with a generous $100,000 pledge by the DeMello Charitable Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting regional economic development, education, and healthcare in the SouthCoast region.

For more information about the program, visit https://www.umassd.edu/nursing/global-nursing/global-nursing-partnerships/bridging-the-atlantic-program

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Bridging the Atlantic deepens ties between UMassD and the Azores