To provide a better understanding of the work of Japanese nurses caring for the elderly, Duy Tan University and Shizuoka Universityorganized a seminar on March 6th entitled “An Introduction to Nursing the Elderly in Japan”. Attendees included Dr. Hiruma Yoichi and Ms. Amano Yukai, both lecturers at Shizuoka University, and staff, lecturers and students of the DTU Faculty of Nursing.
Faculty of Nursing students attend the seminar
The Japanese lecturers explained how nurses care forpeople in rest homes and nursing requirements in Japan. The Japanese have a high life-expectancyand many choose to live in rest homes when they grow old. However, there is a serious shortage of experienced nurses available to look after them, so foreign graduates of nursing, including Vietnamese, are always welcomewhen seeking employment there.
The work in Japan consists of taking care of the daily activities of the elderly and inpatients, monitoring their health, and helping them eat and drink.
MS Amano Yukai discusses ways of caring for inpatients and the elderly
The Shizuoka University lecturers explained how to preventulcers and tetany, two types of diseases that old people commonly suffer from, due to age, frailty, immobility, namelyarthrofibrosis, superficial atheroma and subcutaneous lumps caused by compressed bones.Nurses must regularly massage their patient’s muscles and change their positions in bed to improve blood circulation, using soft mattresses and performing simple exercises.
“Today’s seminar has given me a clearer picture of nursing in Japan. I have learned a lot about the many ways they care for the health of the elderly, which, hopefully, I will be able to apply in the future,” explained Nguyen Thi Dieu Uyen of K20 YDD2. “By collaborating with other universities and medical facilities, Duy Tan University allows us to learn about the skills required in highly-developed countries, toimprove our proficiency in our future careers and become more self-confident nurses.”
(Media Center)