More than 20 Mount Nursing students enjoyed their recent study abroad experience in Italy.
More than 20 Nursing students from Mount Saint Mary College got the educational experience of a lifetime during their recent winter break in Italy.
Christine Berté, associate professor of Nursing, director of the graduate Nursing program, and chairperson of the college’s School of Nursing; and Antonia Brewer, assistant professor of Nursing, accompanied the students. Over the course of ten days, the professors taught a course on Spirituality in Nursing, using the fantastic educational opportunities the locale offered.
Siena, Assisi, and Rome became the classrooms for these students. They toured religious sites and attended a Vespers Mass in Assisi, and studied the life and work of Saint Catherine of Siena, who was an integral part of nursing history. The group learned how spirituality affects the healthcare industry within the country and used their experiences to hone their nursing skills.
The Mount cohort toured three different hospitals in various cities, with accompanying lectures from the nursing faculty and administrators from each hospital. The students impressed the hospital staff with their knowledge, as well as their enthusiasm, Berté noted.
“This group of students represented the Mount in a way that made us proud,” she said. “Every student has benefited from this trip in a way that will enhance their practice as registered nurses.”
In addition to the faculty-led trip to Italy, Mount Business major Matthew Higgins of Meriden, Conn., studied the Berlin Wall and the Cold War Era at Humboldt-Universität in Berlin, Germany over the recent winter break.
The Mount’s Study Abroad program provides students with learning opportunities in New Zealand, Ireland, France, and more. Students can earn three credits through these faculty-led programs or participate in overseas internships.