As a newly established faculty/department, four of our nursing students conducted their first practical training in a clinical setting in the summer semester 2023-2024. Fatimah Oluwatosin Durodola, Funani Masuku, Lawrence Bolum Ifeoseme, Praise Olatunde Lijofi.

The clinical placement emphasized the continued development of caring behaviors through the use of the nursing process, evidence-based practice and critical thinking skills. The student focused on providing safe, quality, patient-centered care to the adult patient experiencing pathophysiologic alterations requiring surgical intervention. Learning experiences introduced the student to the pre-, intra- and postoperative role of the nurse, pain and wound management, surgical infections, and the effects of surgery on patients. Students also participated in interpreting diagnostic tests utilized in the general surgical environment and in understanding operating room protocol. Hence, this clinical practice has furthered the students’ understanding of developing the skills required to provide pre- and post-operative patient care, outpatient evaluation of surgical candidates, surgical inpatient management, and documentation specific to surgical patients.

As the A. Dean of the BAU Faculty of Health Sciences, I like to take this opportunity to thank Assoc. Prof. Dr. Savaş Özyiğit of the Elite Research and Surgical Hospital, Chief Nurse Alev Karacan, nursing staff, allied health professionals, support and administrative staff for their cooperation and support in helping our students combining their theoretical background with practical experience which is a highly important aspect of our degree course.