Educators from the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Emergency Care (INMEC) of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia, headed by the dean of the faculty Mgr. Ivana Chloubová, Ph.D., and the director of this institute, prof. PhDr. Valéria Tóthová, Ph.D., have visited the partner university Wolfson Academic Nursing School (WANS) in Tel Aviv. WANS was established by the Israeli Ministry of Health in 1974 at Wolfson Medical Center as an independent public school. In 1992, WANS was affiliated with Tel Aviv University and became part of it. The objectives of WANS are in line with the Ministry of Health's intention to reduce health inequalities. Unique bachelor's degree programmes have been opened in nursing that encourage a culturally diverse population; a large proportion of the students are immigrants. WANS is a dynamically developing institution that is expanding its network of international contacts.
Prof. Tóthová, vice dean for science and research and director of the INMEC FHSS USB explained: "WANS is an important partner in terms of deepening the concept of transcultural nursing in our teaching, because in Israel they have rich experience in nursing – and not only in terms of providing culturally respectful care". Since 2013, Professor Tóthová has been collaborating with Dr. Sara Nissim within the European Association of Transcultural Nursing. Along with Dr. Sara Nissim, who was director of WANS until 2020, they prepared a credit mobility project in 2019.
They have significant experience with the education of nurses from different cultural backgrounds. Israel has an immensely rich culture due to the diversity of its population; all arrivals have brought their cultural and religious customs with them. Much like the USA, Israel has become a kind of melting pot of customs and beliefs. Therefore, the study programs at WANS logically reflect the concept of culturally-differentiated care.
The group of INMEC teachers were warmly welcomed by members of the Wolfson Academic Nursing School. The aim of the meeting was to mutually familiarize attendees with the current educational system of nurses in the Czech Republic and Israel. The possibilities of strengthening joint scientific research cooperation were also discussed. In addition to professional lectures, the teachers of our faculty presented our conditions for obtaining professional qualifications within the general and paediatric nursing and midwifery programmes. They also presented individual study and educational programmes of lifelong learning. The programme included a visit to the simulation centre and the virtual reality centre, where INMEC teachers had the opportunity to experience prepared scenarios. The use of virtual reality represents a significant shift in nursing education, allowing students to acquire and master skills before entering clinical practice.
Another part of the programme was a gathering with the representatives of the Wolfson Medical Center (WMC). The FHSS USB representatives were received by the director of nursing, Orna Zvi, and the manager of human resources in nursing, Eti Kitri. The hospital representatives talked about the strategy and future visions for the hospital. Part of the programme was a discussion about innovations and research activities with Soshi Fridman. Other activities were presented by a representative of mentors from the internal department of WMC. He presented how mentoring of nursing students takes place and what, for example, are the most complicated and unpleasant situations of the entire mentoring process. At this meeting, the implementation of mentoring at the clinical workplaces of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice was also presented.
Dr. Sara Nissim also facilitated a meeting with the dean of the Faculty of Social and Community Science, Professor Eyal Gamliel, and the head of the Department of Nursing, Dr. Keren Grinberg from another Israeli higher education institution; the Rupin Academic Center in the city of Kfar Monash. Members of the management of both faculties presented the structure of their faculties, study programmes, and research activities. The dean of the FHSS USB, dr. Chloubová, said: "This new faculty is very interested in mutual cooperation in the field of nursing. There are significant possibilities for developing cooperation in both pedagogical and research activities."
Another part of the programme was a visit to the Intercultural Center in Jerusalem. Here, a discussion took place about the current situation in Jerusalem and its surroundings – in relation to the diversity of multicultural and religious society.
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