Theatre suites and sweet treats for Chinese nursing students

From Kiwiana sweets to world class facilities – a tour of the Ara | Te Pūkenga Health Practice Department for a visiting cohort of international ākonga (students) from Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (LNUTCM) had it all.

The ākonga, who are enrolled in a joint nursing programme with Ara have the option of coming here at the completion of their LNUTCM-based studies to study for a further two years. Fulfilling the full programme, established in 2020, would see them receive two Bachelor of Nursing degrees, one from each institution and become a registered nurse here.

“These students have been learning some of Ara’s nursing courses online in the last couple of years and it’s their first chance post Covid to visit Christchurch to meet with their teachers in person,” International Director Beth Knowles explained. “Ultimately this joint programme will produce qualified bilingual nurses. Some could be expected to stay and work in New Zealand as registered nurses to better serve our diverse community.”

The 12 visiting ākonga arrived a few weeks ago, completing a three-week English language programme while also getting a sense of what it would be like to be an international student living in Christchurch.

As well as providing Pineapple Lumps and Jet Planes, Manawa staff provided an eye-opening tour of their campus.

Liaoning University, founded in 1958, is the only tertiary institution in Liaoning Province to train professionals in the integration of Chinese traditional and Western medicines within the context of clinical practice, nursing and other health practice-related disciplines.

The group enjoyed a full tour of the simulation centre at Manawa campus including clinical ward spaces, ICU and trauma facilities along with radiology and theatre suites.

Twenty-year-old Fan Zirui said he was blown away by the high-tech facilities. “This is like a modern hospital and makes you feel like you are in a real working environment. It’s so good for students of nursing care,” he said.

Another student, Alisa Tang said she had thoroughly enjoyed the culture and the “beautiful views” of the South Island. Of the orientation at Manawa, she said it was fun to learn with the local students.

“I learned about brushing the teeth of a patient and also how to nicely fold quilts,” she said of the precision bedmaking demonstrated.

Knowles said the three-week programme was designed to motivate the Liaoning province students to take up their long-term nursing study option with Ara – but the English language short course offering was also set to grow.

“Apart from welcoming these long-term pathway students we are also expecting to host further short-term groups of students twice a year from now on.”

Ara School of English Manager Heather Knox said it was exciting to be building on Ara’s long relationship with Liaoning Province by offering the short English courses for the first time. She said the students had enjoyed being integrated into classes with other international students learning English at Ara.

“Giving these students opportunities to meet with our domestic English students and long-term international students delivers a rich teaching and learning experience. Many have said they’d never imagined making so many new friends from such diverse cultural backgrounds.”