The future of nursing in Europe is being addressed in Granada

On 6-7 April 2017, Saint John of God has convened a meeting in the ancient Saint John of God Hospital in Granada of lecturers and students of its Professional Nursing Schools and institutions teaching the health care sciences, to work and reflect on nursing care and the teaching model used by the Hospitaller Order.

The Granada meeting of some 150 students and lecturers from Italian, German, Austrian and Spanish Professional Nursing Schools of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God in Europe has been entitled “Our training model: Humanising care and accompaniment”.

It was inaugurated in the Chapter Hall of the ancient and original Saint John of God Hospital, attended by the Vice Rector of Granada University, María López-Jurado, the Andalusian Government’s Delegate for Equality, Health and Social Policy, Higinio Almagro, the General Councillor of the Hospitaller Order, Bro. Rudolf Knopp, the Provincial Superior of Andalusia, Brother José Antonio Soria and Bro. José Luis Muñoz O.H., the Superior of the San Rafael Centre in Granada.

For two days, the participants listened to papers and attended round tables with outstanding lecturers from the world of nursing, such as Francisco Ventosa O.H., the Director of the Saint John of God University Centre of Nursing at Bormujos (Seville) entitled, “The idea of care in Saint John of God”. Other European lecturers present included Hanna Mayer, from Vienna University with her paper on “The future of care in Europe: professionalisation and challenges”.

Other topics debated were the challenges to care for people migrating to Europe presented by the General Councillor Bro. Rudolf Knopp, and contributions by the students regarding their own experiences in Centres all over Europe. Video screenings showed the training offering, and the Order’s values: Hospitality, Responsibility, Accountability, Spirituality, Quality and Respect, expressed by each centre.

For the meeting of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God’s Professional Nursing Schools in Europe, a free Spanish and English bilingual Android mobile app has been designed and is now available, called “Saint John of God in Granada”.