Two nursing students from the Department of Nursing at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) left for Finland recently to be part of a student exchange programme at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences for the next three months.
Andiswa Nzama, 24, of Port Shepstone, on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, and Phakamile Zuma, 30, of Inanda, Durban are ecstatic after they were given an opportunity to travel to Finland to represent DUT and work towards furthering their studies.
The two students will be doing three modules which have 15 credits in total and include emergency care.
Nzama enrolled at DUT in 2017 to study towards her honours degree in Health Sciences in Nursing. She said her strong bond with her grandmother who was a nurse by profession made her pursue a career in nursing.
“This is a very great opportunity to improve and explore how emergency care procedures are conducted abroad. I am going there with a very open mind, willing to learn more about the field I have been studying for the past five years. I also plan to share my knowledge and experience I have gained throughout the course,” said Nzama.
Before her departure – her first time on a plane – Nzama said she spent hours on YouTube watching videos about how people live in Finland.
She said she was grateful for the love and support she received from her family and friends after sharing the exciting news with them.
Zuma said she had to calm her family down after they expressed their fears about her travelling abroad – and on a plane for the first time.
“This opportunity will help me to grow as a person and academically. It will equip me with new knowledge and skills that can be shared with junior nursing students at DUT and at a facility where I will be working as a professional nurse. I convinced my family of how important this is for me and that they don’t have to worry since it is safe and that I will be provided with accommodation, food allowance, insurance and air tickets.
“The support that DUT and Metropolia have given to me shows that I am in good hands. I would like to thank the Nursing Department for trusting me to represent DUT. I wish to say that that they will not regret sending me abroad. I will make sure that I make them proud by raising the name of DUT and my department high,” said Zuma.
IOL