Dr. Olu Attends Renowned Conference in London and Travels to Malawi to Share Importance of Global Nursing Education and Cultural Diversity
Dr. Gabriel Oluwakotanmi’s devotion and expertise in preparing students for every outcome once again led to an invitation to attend the 4th Nursing World Conference as a keynote speaker in London, England. Dr. Gabriel Oluwakotanmi, affectionately known as Dr. Olu, serves as the Dean for Hallmark University’s Martha Fessler School of Nursing. He and the Hallmark staff work diligently to ensure students receive the proper hands-on training to handle the various scenarios nurses encounter in their field.
The Nursing World Conference is a gathering of the world’s experts to discuss the latest treatments, academic training models, and continued improvements in nursing care. Healthcare leaders from across the globe attend this conference to meet with their peers, collaborate on projects, and discuss international healthcare issues. Last year, Dr. Olu attended the Nursing World Conference in Rome, Italy, and identified the major factors that cause failure in nursing programs. At this year’s 4th Nursing World Conference, Dr. Olu presented the need for globalization in nursing education.
“I presented the globalization of nursing education, to advocate that nursing leaders all around the world rise to the challenge of ensuring that infectious diseases are under control,” said Dr. Olu, Dean for the School of Nursing.
When an individual from one part of the world visits and brings an unknown disease to another region, the unexposed area is unprepared for the treatment and containment of the illness.
“Ebola and the Zika virus are all out there somewhere. Anyone can travel across the world within 24 hours, meaning someone with Ebola can visit another part of the world and spread the disease. I encouraged them to be vigilant of what is going on and to learn about it. They need to make sure if these diseases appear in their community that they know how to take care of it.”
Dr. Olu emphasized that as the world continuously becomes more connected, every country will need to know how to handle the spread of disease, even diseases not commonly found in their part of the world. Training nurses to think globally will create a population of healthcare professionals that are more capable of caring for more individuals, and that is always the goal.
“After the conference in London, I went to Malawi, in East Africa, to visit a hospital called Child Legacy Community Hospital. They treat almost 60,000 patients every year, almost completely free of charge. I went there to partner with them so our students will practice what they have learned in a part of the world that needs their expertise. Our students will be able to encounter a variety of diseases that we would not otherwise encounter. There is an urgent need for nurses who can provide care in the face of diversity in culture and ethnicity. Imagine if someone came from the other side of the world to the US, what are we going to do to treat them? Will we know how to diagnose, treat, or care for them? I want our students to learn about not only nursing but also cultural diversity.”
By training and sending students from Hallmark University’s School of Nursing to different countries, they will have the opportunity to gain vital experience in dealing with unfamiliar diseases and new treatments. Hallmark University’s approach in training nursing students with a global perspective will produce not only the best nurses in Texas but in the whole world.