SECOND TRAINING SESSION 21 – 24 APRIL 2024
ERASMUS+ PROJECT KA-210 ADU CARE FOR CARE
PROBLEM
A key issue is the upcoming shortage of healthcare workers and especially those able to work with the growing number people with a migration background in the Netherlands.
Concurrently, there’s a growing trend of Dutch patients seeking medical treatment in Turkey. However, Turkish healthcare workers’ lack of experience in treating foreign patients, including Dutch, poses a barrier to providing quality care.
OBJECTIVE
The project’s primary goal is to develop a blueprint for an educational pathway for healthcare professionals. This pathway aims to bridge cultural gaps and enhance the skills of healthcare workers, ensuring they can provide culturally sensitive care to patients from diverse backgrounds.
WHAT WE CONCLUDED AFTER VISIT 1
Where it comes to the care/healthcare sector in Turkey whe think:
The care we have observed in practice (in the private sector) is of a high level.
In Turkey there seems to be a relatively greater focus on securing the technical aspects of care and less on the ‘human factor’.
The state healthcare is aspected not to be as sophisticated as the care given in the private sector. In Turkey the care and healthcare sector are not seen as separate entities.
It is possible that the care/healthcare sector in Turkey will get in a difficult situation in a few years (infarct), so we are in need of a clear policy/vision how to deal with theses.
RETROSPECTIVE VISIT 1
Day 1:
- General introduction caresystems in Turkey and the Netherlands
- Visit of two nursing homes
Day 2:
- Introductions culture sensitive care in the Netherlands and Turkey
- Experiences of associated partners
- Visit Memorial Health Tourism Hospital
Day 3:
- Evaluation and further planning
SECOND TRAININGSESSION 21-24 APRIL 2024
The second trainingsession (guides the participants through the development of effective training programs tailored for healthcare professionals in culture sensitive care.
It also aimes te equip participants with practical tools and methodologies that can be applied in their professional settings.
PROGRAM DAY 1 Sunday April 21
On the 21st of April the Turkish delegation flew from Istanbul to Amsterdam. From there they travelled by train to Almelo. There Sevilay, Kamile and Agnes picked them up from the railway station and accompanied them to the hotel. After a quick fresh up they were welcomed by caring couple Remco and Marieke de Vries at ‘De Herbergier’ in Almelo. ‘De Herbergier’ is a small-scale residential facility where clients with memory problems experience loving care, attention and close proximity.
PROGRAM DAY 2 Monday April 22
We started the day at the hotel. After a brief explanation of the programm Ivo gave a presentation about what is expected from us and what we are going to start working on in the context of the Care for Care Erasmus+ project.
After that Vildan gave a presentation about the quality of care in Turkey, how professionals in Turkey are trained and how the finance of care is organized. After this presentation everyone participated in an interactive session about the differences and similarities in healthcare between the Netherlands and Turkey. The participants tried to gain as much information as possible. But the question is how to implement and secure this.
At the end of the morning Sevilay gave a presentation about the healthcare laws in the Netherlands (WMO, Wlz and Zvw); what does it mean and when are you eligible for which law. We also talked about the principles of the policy programm WOZO (live, support and care of the elderly): independent if it’s possible, at home if it’s possible and digital if it’s possible. We did not only talk about the challenges but also about fraud in healthcare and how the city of Almelo deals with this.
In the afternoon we were welcomed by our colleagues from ZorgAccent. Joyce Koster and Lindsey Zandhuis took us into the world of healthcare technology. The use of healthcare technology can be complementary and supporting. It can increase the self-reliance of elderly people.
Different kinds of technological tools were displayed on the table; Compaan (www.uwcompaan.nl), Tessa (www.tinybots.nl), a gps- watch (www.lifewatcher.nl), a calming pillow (www.somnox.com) and Medido (www.medido.com) among other things.
After that we discussed a casuistry about the quality of life and healthcare.
PROGRAM DAY 3 Tuesday April 23
Tuesday we were welcomed at Saxion University of applied sciences. The morning programm was composed by Nic ten Brinke, Recep Canel and Yvonne Kerkhof. Students of Saxion shared their experiences about internships and projects. In the afternoon we participated in a culture sensitive workshop led by Sevilay and Mohcine.
PROGRAM DAY 4 Wednesday April 24
The last day of our programm.
This morning all our Turkish guests participated in different healthcare teams to experience how it is to work as a nurse, case manager or in a daytime care in the Netherlands. At the end of the morning, we had a tour in Hofkamp, a residential care location of ZorgAccent. After that we had a meeting to evaluate the previous days and to share the experiences of this morning, for example working with ECD (electronic client file).
Before we’re going to make the blueprint, we asked the participants to answer three questions:
1.Where do we want to give our attention to?
2.Where do we want to make the first move when it comes to culture sensitive working and caring?
3.What should be our first priority?
We are going to collect the answers and use them as a starting point for the blueprint.
In the afternoon we visited general practitioner Ellen Kerkhof and practice assistant Saniye Ozbay at ‘De Hagen’ for a presentation. What does a general practitioner and what does a practice assistant do? When do you get a referral to a hospital and how does euthanasia work? Hatice Keskin from ‘Wijkkracht’ also participated and told us about her role and function in the neighborhood.
At the end of the afternoon we conducted an evaluation of the previous days, a short retrospective of the programm in Istanbul and a preview of the planned visit to Turkey in October 2024.
LOOKING BACK TO VISIT 2 WE CONCLUDE
The Dutch welfare-/healthcare system is well-structured, with both public and private institutions working together to provide comprehensive care. However, some aspects of elderly care, especially for those with deteriorating health, face challenging conditions. Technology (e.g., domotics) is used effectively to address staff shortages and enhance client independence and self- management.
Professionals should undergo more cultural sensitivity trainings, including workshops and educational programs, as to better understand and respect cultural differences. It’s important that professionals not only communicate effectively but also appreciate and adapt to diverse cultural backgrounds.
Visit-2 was well-organized and comprehensive, providing valuable insights into the Dutch care system. Participants appreciated the mix of presentations and hands-on experiences. However, there was a preference for more interactive sessions, such as case discussions, over theoretical presentations. The allocation of time and opportunities for discussions were well-received, fostering a productive exchange of ideas and experiences.
LOOKING FORWARD WE CONCLUDE
It is important to work on raising awareness about cultural sensitivity in general in organisations.
We should continue to work on integrating cultural sensitivity into professional training and education. This can be accomplished through workshops and training programs for healthcare staff, ensuring they understand and respect cultural differences.
We have to facilitate exchange of healthcare professionals and students between countries to learn from each other’s cultures and healthcare systems. Offering internships and strengthening international cooperation will help address the challenges of providing culturally sensitive care and managing workforce shortages.
