Susan Chanda Mutanda's story
Susan is a third-year nursing student pursuing her bachelor’s degree from the University of Zambia. She came to Cardiff on an exchange visit in order to gain an insight into how learning takes place in Wales.
Susan says, "it gives me the opportunity to identify the differences in comparison with my local setting and being able to share my experiences about good practices from University of Zambia as well as areas of continuous improvement."
After spending seven weeks at Cardiff University, Susan says her time has been quite informative, eye opening and very interesting. One aspect which has stood out for Susan is the long-term friendships she has created – something that has made her experience much more memorable.
Susan has learnt a great deal over her course at Cardiff where she picked-up new academic knowledge almost every day. Susan says, "I am able to engage in class discussions as the lecturers are not intimidating and are very accommodating. Clinically, I have been able to acquire nursing/midwifery skills and how differently some of the procedures are carried out with the equipment which is readily available."
Professionals and patients sharing their experiences is an aspect of the course that will allow Susan to influence better care once qualified. Along with scientific knowledge and equipment, Susan’s greatest lesson is, "the patient is prime, and the core of what nursing is about."
Susan has taken full advantage of the different learning methods at Cardiff University, including online resources such as emails and online libraries for relevant academic literature.
Ultimately, Susan would encourage people to participate in the exchange programme as it gives the individual the opportunity to recognize the different learning perspectives and practices. Susan says, "For me it’s been an enthusiastic venture I took and I’m enjoying with no regrets."