School of Nursing and Midwifery

  Getting to visit Trinity College’s Nursing and Midwifery schools was a reframing and transformative experience that expanded my knowledge about the education system in Ireland. Previous to this, I had very little knowledge about how university and nursing school worked in European countries and I was excited to learn more. We first learned more about the demographic of Ireland pertaining to all aspects that make up one's identity. We also talked about Irish people's access to education and the statistics of Irish people who attended primary, secondary and higher education. We also learned more about Irelands health care system, which was very interesting. I still don't know enough about Americas Health care to really grasp which system benefits the public the most, but from what I see in Irelands healthcare, they have better access to health for all individuals in Ireland. Even just the small fact that ambulances are free greatly impacts the access that people in Ireland have to getting health care. I often hear stories in America where people hesitate to call ambulances just due to how much money they cost. Also knowing how much it costs to just delivery your baby in the U.S is astounding compared to what it cost in Ireland. Having greater access and ability to afford healthcare decreases the risks of people dying due to not having sufficient health care. But what I thought was most eye opening about European universities and specifically Trinity College was the differences in their higher education vs. the United states. The biggest difference is that tuition is free at Trinity college for Irish students. Hearing this blew my mind just because of how expensive college is in America and especially TCU. Having tuition be at no cost for students greatly increases the amount of access people have to getting a higher education in Ireland. Without the worry of money, more people are able to apply and get higher education degrees. Also having a higher education greatly impacts one's health and ability to live longer and better. While in America there are a lot of scholarships for those struggling to afford higher education, there is no college where tuition is at no cost for students, from the start. Students often have to fight for scholarships and aid just to obtain higher education. I think that better access to higher education in the U.S would greatly benefit all of society and lead to better educated and healthier individuals. 

pictures from out lecture and inside the nursing school!