Nottingham nurses to share their skills on Ethiopia visit
Nurses and doctors from Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) will visit Ethiopia this month to share skills with staff at one of the country's leading hospitals.
Eight NUH staff members will travel to Jimma University Teaching Hospital, which serves a population of 15 million in southwest Ethiopia.
The link between the two hospitals was established in 1993, and annual visits involving staff from clinical and non-clinical areas now take place every year. This year the focus is on post-operative care.
NUH-Jimma link lead and critical care nurse Clare Hepworth said: ‘We offer medical expertise in all kinds of fields and at the same time our staff learn about a healthcare system that is very different from ours, yet faces many similar challenges.
'I tell staff going out there to prepare for the unexpected. In this country we treat lots of children injured by trampolines during the summer, whereas in Jimma the children fall when climbing trees to gather honey.’
Ms Hepworth and her colleagues have supported the launch of Jimma's intensive care unit, one of Ethiopia’s few government-run units outside the capital Addis Ababa.
Critical care nurse Kathryn Draper, who visited the hospital in 2014, said: ‘The whole experience was incredibly rewarding and humbling. I have learnt so much about different ways to deliver care.’
The NUH-Jimma link relies on fundraising, and recent events have included an Ethiopian meal, a pub quiz and pig racing.
To support the cause, contact Nottingham Hospitals Charity on 0115 962 7905, email charity@nuh.nhs.uk or click here