Unique collaboration with health professionals from Azerbaijan
UW-Green Bay was the first stop for a delegation of health professionals from Azerbaijan visiting Green Bay from Oct. 12 to 18, 2019. Chris Vandenhouten (chair of Nursing and Health Studies), Brian Krogh (associate dean of Nursing at NWTC) and Dean Susan Gallagher-Lepak (Collegeof Health, Education and Social Welfare) greeted the five visitors—all care clinicians or nursing educators in Azerbaijan—along with a facilitator and translator on Oct. 14 and provided a Nursing Education 101—an overview of terms and processes they would hear about before delving into a week of hands-on learning about nursing education and practices in the U.S.
The program was delivered by healthcare professionals from UW-Green Bay, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Bellin College, Medical College of Wisconsin, Unity Hospice, HSHS Children’s Hospital-St. Vincent campus and Oneida Nation and included hands-on experience and tours of educational and health care facilities as well as a panel discussion with leaders from major health care education institutions.
The goal of the visit, sponsored by Green Bay West Rotary and the Open World Leadership Center, an agency of the U.S. Congress, was for our visitors to learn about nursing education practices, as well as build lasting connections to their counterparts in the U.S. for an ongoing exchange of information.
Rotarians Rick Beverstein (UW-Green Bay Council of Trustee member) and Jeane Smits ’00. Social Change and Development) coordinated the health care curriculum with Gallagher-Lepak. Rotarian Joy Wick (executive director of Advancement at UW-Green Bay) assisted with public relations. Green Bay West Rotary Club, founded in 1974, is committed to serving local, national and international communities, with special focus on youth and increasing international cooperation and understanding.
The photo (submitted) shows five of the delegates and translator from Azerbaijan along with Vandenhouten, Krogh and Gallagher-Lepak.
