Nurse's Role in Caring for Foreign Patients

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by Svetlana Antonova

The opening of a new department that provides medical treatment and nursing care in accordance with Western standards took place at Central Clinical Hospital (Moscow, Russia) in April 1996.

The opening of this department called for certain changes. The nurse's role has changed greatly, due to the arrival of new patients expecting treatment similar to that they receive in their native country. Nursing patient charts and preliminary nursing assessment lists have been introduced. Continued nursing clinical training began as a result of the new requirements for the nursing staff. The nurses have also received three months of training oriented to another level of care. This training was mostly provided by an American nurse educator with the active participation of physicians and specialists from different departments. The hospitalization of patients with many different kinds of diseases made it necessary to include a range of care in this training course.

In order to improve the quality of care, several committees have been established (Foreign Patient Admission Committee, Patient Training Committee, Problem Solving Committee), and patients are more carefully asked about their symptoms.

The department staff has realized the necessity of the changes and has adapted to the new requirements, despite the different working conditions.

Having worked half a year in this new type of department, we have came to the conclusion that working in accordance with Western standards not only increases the amount of work but expands the role of nurses and the nursing profession.

We would like our department to be the rule rather than the exception and to make the new kind of treatment available to any patient.

Svetlana Antonova is Nurse Educator of the International Patient Department at Central Clinical Hospital
Moscow, Russia
tel: 7 (095) 414 06 86
fax: 7 (095) 414 07 10

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