Charles Sturt nursing students return from "life-changing trip" to Cambodia

Amanda Moses, a lecturer in the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health at Charles Sturt in Wagga, accompanied 13 students overseas.

Mrs Moses said that for two weeks, the second-year students travelled to isolated villages where they provided education to young men and women about mental health, healthy eating and sexual health.

"It raised their cultural awareness and understanding of the impact and socioeconomic factors on a person's health, and they way manage their health," she said.

"The fact that we are so lucky in Australia was highlighted.

"That will impact long-term on their practice and understanding of the multicultural society as they will care for people of all backgrounds."

The students from Charles Sturt in Wagga, Albury-Wodonga and Bathurst distributed 120 kits from Days for Girls to young women who did not have access to necessary sanitary products.

"That means those women and girls can continue to attend work and school despite their period," Mrs Moses said.

"Students also assisted doctors in isolated clinics in screening for chronic diseases and provided information to patients after a diagnosis was reached."

Mrs Moses said each student returned with a renewed appreciation for the resources available in Australia after visiting a Cambodian hospital.

"The students found it to be quite challenging in terms of being in a developing country with limited health care," she said.

"The hospital generated an emotional response, especially in terms of the limitations of the treatments.

"There were a couple of students that were quite stressed by it. Their cultural competence and sensitivity have certainly been heightened."

Charles Sturt partnered with Projects Abroad for this trip and is planning more trips for nursing students in 2020 to the Philippines, Samoa, India and Cambodia.

"Charles Sturt will continue to offer these international placements, which is a unique and valuable opportunity for our nursing students," Mrs Moses said.

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