Trip Itinerary

Perth, Australia
Hanoi, Vietnam
Mai Chau District, Vietnam

Travel Log

Check out the journeys from three University of Notre Dame nursing students as they embarked on their first week of clinical placement in Vietnam. Caitlin, Meghan and Brian share their first impressions below:

Week 1

Caitlin Kotula

On the 12th of October, at the frightful hour of 3:30am, 12 students and 2 Facilitators met at Perth International Airport to begin a journey to Vietnam where we would not only be representing our university, the University of Notre Dame, but also our country, Australia. 

We arrived in Hanoi and were welcomed by our team of dedicated interpreters and the warm, tropical air of Vietnam. Our evening was coloured by the character of Vietnamese night life and the foreign flavours of soul-warming noodles, rice and Pho. I really enjoyed our first few days in Hanoi, and thought it was the perfect introduction into the culture, language and traditions of the country. We had a Vietnamese language crash course on the first day and discovered our Vietnamese names - I became “Cát Lin”. 

We enjoyed many meals together, however one lunch in particular turned out to be an incredible opportunity to learn about the struggle of Vietnamese women against domestic violence. Hope Box is a cafe dedicated to providing victims of physical, sexual and emotional violence a safe haven away from their husbands and hospitality skills that both empower them and provide them with an income. It was an incredibly moving experience, and inspiring that a business model such as this is able to thrive despite stern cultural barriers that typically make it quite difficult for vulnerable women to escape abuse. I left lunch full and inspired. 

Whilst in Hanoi, we took part in a cross-cultural meeting with Vietnamese Surgeons, Doctors and Pharmacologists. We learned about the caveats of their hospital system, including how health insurance worked, how they were trained in their professions and the goals set in place for improved quality of care and national standards. The experience was enlightening and I was able to apply my new knowledge in Mai Chau, where we began our work in the District Hospital. 

Although our days in Mai Chau were limited, they were beyond incredible. I felt so honoured and privileged to be allowed such a unique opportunity to observe the nurses, doctors and surgeons in action. Talking to the staff and the patients with the aid of the interpreters was a challenge, but the language barrier didn’t prevent some amazing conversations from unfolding. The highlight of my first week was witnessing a Cesarean Section for the first time. Everyone in the room held their breath as the baby was lifted from her mother’s womb, and I teared up the moment she began to cry. It was such a beautiful moment to be a part of, and I was so grateful for the Vietnamese people’s generosity and how welcoming they were to us. 

It has only been a week and I’ve already learnt so much and grown immensely as a nursing student.

I look forward to the following week in the Pieng Ve clinics and the challenges they are guaranteed to bring.

Week 2 

Leaving Mai Chau was both exciting and saddening; in the space of only a few days I had settled into the routine of riding to and from the hospital through the rice paddies. I knew, however, that the next leg of our journey in Van would bring with it many new memories, challenges and lessons.

What repeatedly struck me throughout the entirety of my placement was the genuine kindness the Vietnamese people bestowed upon us at any given moment. Not once are you not welcome, nor out of place or unappreciated. This translated through the warmth of our homestay owner, the bubbly, curious nature of the village children (who greeted us with flowers and mischievous smiles), or the hustle and bustle of the villagers in the clinic. It was hard not to be excited.

The last few days of our placement were spent walking to the clinic, working until we were hot and hungry, returning home (and often napping), and beginning the cycle again. I found myself tired at the end of every day, but so fulfilled. During the time we spent in Van, we saw over 200 patients. Although it was a health-focused clinic, it felt like an event that everyone was excited to turn up to. The oldies had a giggle with us and told us about their lives and their health as we did their assessments and the children begged for bubbles and stamps at every opportunity. Although our work was very simple, it was, in its own way, a holistic experience. Granted it felt like we were applying a band-aid to a greater problem, it was the extra opportunity to be seen and provided much needed medication was appreciated dearly.

My favourite shift at the clinic was in the pharmacy. Myself and my partner poured our hearts and souls into sorting the medication, creating summaries of what each medication did and was used for, learning the Vietnamese names for certain ones, and remembering the typical dosages to smooth out the provision process. It was so fun and very different to what we usually do as nurses. I loved being able to work with the pharmacist and experiencing an aspect of healthcare I wouldn’t be privy to back at home.

Finally, the most rewarding aspect of the second week: a puberty talk at the local high school, and Days for Girls. The puberty talk was entertaining and challenging all at once. We faced a tough crowd of teenagers, but in the end, it was important to provide that education despite the giggles at our expense. When not talking to teenagers about puberty, I was talking to women of all ages about Days for Girls. Days for Girls is an incredible organisation that creates reusable pads for women to use during their menstrual cycles. Because of this organisation, I was able to give these kits to mothers and their daughters from poorer villages where accessing disposable sanitary items is not always an option. The smiles on their faces and their thanks made me remember why I applied for the placement in the first place: to educate, to be a catalyst for change, and to better the lives of those who need it most. I felt both privileged and grateful to be one of the people that gave the kits to these mothers and I can only hope that future years continue to provide them to women in need.

Prior to embarking on the Vietnam placement, I knew I wanted to return home having learnt something. Little did I know I would learn more than I had bargained for and that I would be sparked with a passion for healthcare I hadn’t quite had before. My gratitude is immense, and my eyes opened.

Week 1

Meghan Nugent

Xin Chào from Mai Châu!

I sit here reflecting on the week that’s been, surrounded by lush green mountains and the quirky sounds of Mai Châu village filling the air. With what started as nervous apprehension in Perth, quickly transitioned to awe-struck wonder and an overwhelming feeling of gratefulness to be a humble observer to the Vietnamese culture.

Arriving in Hanoi, we were not only greeted by the welcoming Nineteen Degrees staff but by busy streets, vibrant smells and an avalanche of sounds. When I wasn’t familiarising myself with the local cuisine or getting lost down bustling streets, I was fortunate enough to visit the Nineteen Degrees office where we were taught basic Vietnamese language (I will now be referred to as Mé Gûn) and the rich history of this country.

A highlight was having a local traditional medicine doctor and her medical students talk to us about the healthcare system in Vietnam and inspiring me to build on my practice with a more holistic approach to healing. As days passed by, I felt pride at the Women’s Museum, intrigued at the Ethnology Museum, and humbled at Maison Centrale.

However, Mai Châu is the highlight of the trip so far. Four daily bike rides to Mai Châu Hospital, through the rice paddy’s surrounded by mountains and local farmers. As the week continued, we witnessed the progression of rice harvesting during our daily rides which gave us an insight into the labour-intense work life of the Vietnamese people in this area. We had the privilege of being invited to observe the daily clinical workings of the district hospital. I was humbled to have witnessed the birth of a healthy Vietnamese boy via cesarean and communicate via interpreters to patients about their health care journey and the workings of the hospital. I learned the importance of observing without judgement; as the differences in sterility and organisation of the hospital compared to the practices in Australia don’t always mean that they are wrong. It simply means I should expand my view and use critical thinking to understand the reasoning behind the practices I was fortunate enough to witness.

I am grateful to have observed, learned and to have implemented critical thinking into my first week here. I have learned a great deal about how the Vietnamese healthcare system works and to not only appreciate how lucky I am to be an Australian citizen but also the aspects of the Vietnamese healthcare that I can aspire to implement into my future practice as a Registered Nurse.

Week 2

A mere 30-minute drive from Mai Châu, Van was to be our home for the last week of our practicum. Travelling deeper into the mountains came with its benefits and challenges; more lush greenery, more rural conditions, and an intense heat.

On arrival to our homestay, we were greeted with native flowers from the local children. I had to laugh at what would be our beds for the next week; 12 bamboo mats on the floor and I just knew this new week would bring new excitements, experiences and challenges. Four times a day we walked back and forth from the clinic and home, past houses on stilts balancing precariously on stones, over water buffalo bathing in the stream, and past a glorious amount of wildlife. With one doctor, nurse and pharmacist permanently working at the clinic, the presence of 12 excited foreign nursing students, 2 passionate RN leaders and 4 charismatic interpreters brought a lot of excitement to the area.

We set up stations to allow for efficiency and maximum patient intake. A welcome desk collected patients basic patient information before students would perform and record vital signs. With the help of an interpreter, we were fortunate enough to sit in and listen to consultations with the doctor and nurse, ask patients about their health problems and implement critical thinking to find the root causes of recurring health issues. This particular stage gave me a strong appreciation for the holistic health services provided in Australia. The final stage of this process was the pharmacy; a particular highlight for us all. With access to all the medications we had purchased for the clinic, we found working with the pharmacist more and more exciting as time went on where we learnt the drug names in Vietnamese (I made good use of my limited counting knowledge; Mot, Hai, Ba!).  

Just as the heat of the afternoon would intensify, a flock of Vietnamese children would enter the clinic to provide comic relief for both staff and patients. To their delight, we returned the favour with blowing copious amounts of bubbles and doing mock health assessments on them.

I was fortunate to be part of the mothers and babies team, responsible for educating pregnant women and new mothers on the importance of oral healthcare for their children. I felt educating the most rewarding part of this experience as I strongly believe in empowering through education to promote sustainability and change in rural communities. As sad as we were to leave rural Vietnam, we were happy to be back in bustling Hanoi and back into the loving arms of an actual bed in a bug free room.

On what felt like our first day of relaxation in a long time, we were blessed to travel to Halong Bay and sizzle under the Vietnamese sun, taking in the breath-taking views of one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature through the comfort of an old wooden boat. With our last day speeding up too quick, it was spent enjoying some well-deserved pampering, last minute shopping, and of course, indulging in some mouth-watering Bahn Mi’s. 

Vietnam and its people have taught me that a little can go a long way. I’ve learnt that just because their medical practice can sometimes be vastly different from my own, that it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wrong. But most importantly, I have learnt the importance of education and that in order to make a real difference in healthcare, I must educate and empower others in order to create change and sustainability for our future.