Emerging issues of nursing turn the concern in Indonesia. National educational system also alters from Bachelor of Nursing (S.Kep) to the professional level (Ners). The issues of nursing are dealing with lack of places, lecturers in term of quality and quantity, qualified experiences of clinic students, and alumni who possess professional performance. Those issues are new challenges of academicians at nursing to cope with and improve as one.
Therefore, confronting and resolving the issues, Master of Nursing (M.Kep) of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) attempted to cooperate with Khon Kaen University (KKU), Thailand. The cooperation was started by a Guideline Event International Nursing Student Forum & Tour on Saturday (3/3) in Postgraduate Building of UMY.
In the one-day field trip and seminar, Siti Khalifah S.Kep., N.S. as a speaker uttered that issues of nursing nowadays are regarding management and leadership, quality of insurance, curriculum development, teaching and learning process, appraisal, laboratory skills, technology of nursing field, and human resources. Additionally, there is a change from Bachelor of Nursing (S.Kep) to professional level. On one hand, the change is beneficial, but on the other hand it elicits problems.
“Law no. 20/2003 on national educational system shifts educational pattern from Bachelor of Nursing to the professional level (Ners). The merit of this policy is that alumni would achieve a nurse license. On contrast, a lot of issues appear from institutions, alumni, and stake holders. A number of partners and various used curriculums would affect operational cost. It is also lack of alumni dedication to research in community since most of them focus on academic area only. It displayed that commitment and responsibility of nursing institution are still inadequate, indeed,” she told.
Siti argue that there are a lot to do to overcome the issues and to create professional alumni. She mentioned two main ways which institutions and nursing students need to carry out. “First, they ought to enhance aspects of quality, curriculum standardization, learning process, quality and quantity of lecturers, the number of laboratory nurses, and research in community. Second, they need foster groups of workshop or seminar for nurses because it would coin professional nurse alumni,” he stated.
Moreover, Doni Setyawan, S.Kep., N.S., chief of the event asserted that the event aimed at elevating cooperation relationship between UMY and KKU. The target of KKU was not only undergraduate program but also postgraduate and doctoral program as the cooperation between Master of Nursing of UMY and KKU. Every year Master of Nursing conducts student exchange either from UMY to KKU or vice versa. Besides sharing the issues of nursing, the event also pointed at acquainting students to the student exchange program of both universities. “It is our regular activity because this event would provide information to students of Master of Nursing regarding the health issues in several countries,” he said.
In the student exchange program, there would be a lot of aspects to discuss such as curriculum and tour, and students would also learn health issues in Thailand. The exchange students would study at KKU for a month. Besides, KKU also affords scholarship of doctoral program for UMY students who are eager to pursue their study there. “Seeing the big occasion, we must not waste it. One of our lecturers successfully continued doctoral program in KKU by achieving scholarship of KKU,” told Doni.
Doni expected that the event would be sustainable to give opportunities for students of M.Kep to perceive overseas learning atmosphere, particularly at KKU. “It could lift our knowledge of nursing issues in not only Thailand but also China and Taiwan since we also cooperate with the countries,” he ended.
