Lies Van Dorsselaer

Lies is a 4th year nursing student from AP Hogeschool in Antwerp, Belgium. She recently spent 12 weeks undertaking a nursing placement at our programme in Hue, Vietnam. 

I wanted to find out more about healthcare outside of Belgium. The influence of culture, values ​​and norms within healthcare was unclear to me. Besides that, I wanted to undertake an internship that allowed me to grow as a person and as a nurse.

Vietnamese healthcare is very different from that of my home country.  A large part of this is the participation of family members in the care and support they provide. I thought everyone was very connected to each other. The typical professional distance that I experience at home, I experienced less in Vietnam. The patients felt at home. Everyone was very open to me and they were always eager to receive me.

I definitely became more resourceful. I learned how to effectively reuse materials without breaking the sterile environment. I learned tips and tricks that I will implement at home to work more consciously with the resources we have.

I was placed in the NICU for three months. Here I saw some very high-level care that I did not expect to see in Vietnam. The cut-off for premature neonates is 24 weeks gestational age, which is the same in Belgium. I expected Vietnam to have a later cut-off gestational age due to having more access to highly advanced materials and research. 

The hospital staff were always available to ask questions. Even though the language barrier was sometimes a challenge, they were always prepared to talk to me using Google Translate. The doctors spoke English (or French), making it easy to converse with them about the healthcare system and any specific questions I had. 

During the weekends we usually booked a trip somewhere. Flights were pretty cheap and the Work the World staff were always prepared to help you find an enjoyable destination for the time you have. If you don’t have the time or budget to fly, there is more than enough nearby. I visited some monuments in Hué but also made a four-hour drive to Ha Noi and Da Nang. For a free afternoon, the beach was an excellent activity. 

It was an amazing experience that helped me discover myself as a person and as a professional. You will experience things inside as well as outside the hospital that shape you into the professional and individual that you want to be. 

I learned a lot about myself and my passion for healthcare during these three months. I didn’t regret a second of my time spent in Vietnam. It was an experience I will never forget. 

You will make friends that you would otherwise never get the chance to meet. You will not only learn about Vietnamese culture but also about the many cultures of other housemates that stay in the house. 

One big pro about travelling with Work the World is the team guides you through every step of your placement. They go above and beyond for you to ensure you have the best time. They treat you like a friend. Not only the student guidance but also the housekeeping, cooks and gatekeepers try to brighten your day. 

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