Benita Cui

Contact

benitac@nursing.upenn.edu

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Through the nursing program at the University of Queensland (UQ), I was able to focus most of my time abroad on the hands-on and in-person experiences through my clinical rotation at the Surgical, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Service (STARS) on the general rehabilitation floor for geriatric patient populations. While navigating the Australian universal healthcare system, this clinical rotation helped reinforce more independence and opportunities for me to translate and solidify my learning in the classroom into real patient interactions in a true work environment through logging my own hours as expected of a practicing nurse, caring for an assigned patient without additional supervision of a nurse, giving medications and putting skills that I have learned in simulation lab to practice like hanging IV bags, writing patient notes, collaborating with the interdisciplinary team (including the PT/OT students from the UQ program) and giving patient hand-offs to the next nurse on shift. This experience allowed me to bring a diverse, and enriched perspective to academic discourse and coursework at Penn that is backed by personal experience. I gained insight into the trade-offs that the U.S. and Australian systems took in addressing key issues such as maintaining real-time documentation, patient interventions, and availability of technology. Additionally, the clinical experience at UQ provided me the opportunity to advance and broaden my clinical skills and knowledge, and integrate them into practice at clinical rotations back at Penn.

My Experience Abroad

The skills simulation, clinical shifts, and nursing courses like the midwifery case study class enabled me to be deeply engaged and involved first-hand in Australia’s health practices. Through working and experiencing the healthcare system myself, I was able to connect these diverse views on the various care models back into Penn Nursing in clinical practice, research, or classroom discussions to provide a more holistic perspective of healthcare on patient outcomes.
The Penn Nursing curriculum has also emphasized the importance of bringing change into the healthcare system, fostering empowerment to make changes as nurses. This opportunity at UQ and the clinical experience at STARS showed me the healthcare innovations and initiatives in Australia that have put them at the forefront of overall patient outcome and care quality rankings, and apply these insights in driving improvements in the U.S. healthcare system as a long-term goal.
UQ and the beautiful city of Brisbane provided the perfect cultural and academic environment for me to step out of my comfort zone as I adapt to the different academic system, healthcare practices, and Australia’s day-to-day traditions! Whether that is getting used to not having a clinical group and instructor with me throughout the clinical day or settling myself into a new country, this experience translated well into facing future academic and professional challenges at Penn as I become more independent and confident in my own abilities and diverse knowledge, allowing me to become a better mentor for future leaders at Penn in my final year.

Other Highlights

• One of my most favorite (yet terrifying) experiences was earning my open-water scuba diving certification and going diving in the Great Barrier Reef, one of the seven wonders of the natural world! I got to swim next to stingrays and sharks, and of course, the most beautiful coral reefs.
• Another highlight was my semester break trip where I visited Cairns and spent two days on a sail boat in the Whitsunday Islands to visit Whitehaven beach, known for having the world’s purest silica sand and its incredibly breathtaking views. We would lie on the deck at night to stargaze, spotting shooting stars, and then wake up early in the morning to catch the sunrise over the ocean. I also got to share my first sky diving experience with the friends I met on exchange, jumping out of a plane at 15,000 feet over Airlie Beach…and thankfully surviving it!
• I also got to pick up many new hobbies and connect with local Australians and other international students by being involved in the student clubs offered at UQ, including sailing, surfing, baking, and the Queensland University Student Exchange Society.