Nursing Students Gain Clinical, Cultural Experience in Dublin

From The Long Room at The Library of Trinity College Dublin, to Galway Bay and a Croke Park Tour, University of Scranton students took in the sights and sounds of Ireland during a Scranton intersession study abroad experience, from Jan. 1 through 18.

Twelve nursing students taking Healthcare Systems and Nursing Practice abroad participated in a program at Trinity College Dublin School of Nursing and Midwifery, led by Nursing Department faculty Julie L. Murphy Ph.D., CRNP, and Cristen Walker, Ph.D., CRNP. Students included seniors Grace Ascher, Kaitlyn Romito, Neely Rice and juniors Annemarie Hohl, Audrey Koenig, Charles Robinson, Karly Poley, Kate Lettieri, Kathryn Yohrling, Kiera Lamb, Megan Depka and Vivian Weaver.

Ascher '25, shown inset above, a nursing major from Garden City, New York, hopes to work in the critical care setting in New York after graduation. She shared reflections with Royal News about her Scranton intersession study abroad experience.

What were some of your goals for the trip?

While studying abroad, my main goal was to gain the most out of my experience, both culturally and academically. I was able to learn so much about the Irish healthcare system and cultural differences in the nursing world.

Please share some program and location highlights from your time in Dublin.

We each spent a clinical day at one of the hospitals in the Dublin area. Observing in a hospital in another country is such a rare experience. I enjoyed comparing what I've seen at our clinical settings versus theirs.

Some of my favorite activities in Ireland were group visits to the Aran Islands at Inis Moor and the Celtic Nights Irish dancing and music in our hotel!

What surprised you most about the trip?

I was most surprised by how welcoming everyone was to us throughout this entire trip. Even though we were tourists for two weeks I never felt like an outsider because of the welcoming culture.