The Kingdom of Tonga spans 171 islands in Polynesia, part of Oceania.
Nursing lecturer and researcher Dr Kylie McCullough has a special interest in global health, primary healthcare and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
So who better to be your guide as an undergrad nursing student on a study tour to the Kingdom of Tonga?
Short geography lesson: Tonga is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania.
It has 171 islands, 45 of them inhabited. The population was 100,000 in 2016.
It's more than 3,000km east of Brisbane, Australia.
And the country has been ruled by a King since 1875, though not the same person.
The Tonga experience
"Cultural differences most notable to us were an apparent high pain threshold and reluctance to complain about anything."
This was one of many learnings from the nine students who accompanied Kylie on the study tour.
Also this: "Tongans are incredible singers and attending church or devotions is a wonderful experience."
And while the trip involved considerable eating and entertainment from the hospitable Tongans, there was also work to do!
The students learned how to peel fresh coconut and extract its milk in a traditional way.
This not only taught them resourcefulness, but also connected them with traditional methods of food and medicine preparation.
The lack of medical equipment highlighted the importance of minimising waste.
The Tongan people are highly resourceful, using locally available materials for every day needs and preserving traditional practices based on community support and family networks.
We can learn a lot from them!
Heart-stopping medical experience
Observing open heart surgery was the most incredible and enlightening experience of the study tour according to the students.
They were able to observe an international surgical team perform open heart surgeries that involve stopping a patient's heart and letting a machine take over.
The tour included observing or assisting in other medical settings, such as the Emergency Department, Surgery and Medical wards, Obstetrics & Paediatrics and Outpatients.
There was also the opportunity to go door-to-door with the nurses in community clinics, a really important experience to have as a student nurse.
This was at times a jarring and emotional experience.
The student nurses were exposed to extremely poor living conditions and limited access to health services which they naturally found eye-opening.
However, experiencing another culture's way of living is imperative to being an empathetic and caring nurse.
Meeting fellow future nurses
Our intrepid students also enjoyed interacting with Tongan nursing students – described as happy, bubbly, and funny people – and learning about their curriculum and study life.
Unlike the ECU students who have state-of-the-art facilities that replicate a real hospital, their Tongan counterparts have access to a very basic simulation room with very few resources.
Understandably they would love any donated equipment/supplies that they could use for teaching!
Study tours and overseas experiences
This was only a snapshot of one action-packed and enlightening study tour undertaken by ECU nursing students.
It's hard to put a price on the value of these experiences.
As student Hannah says:
"This placement was the most amazing experience as I learnt about Tongan culture and the difference in healthcare practices. I have gained confidence, learnt knew skills, and made the most amazing friendships."
One thing's for sure, if you want to go to university, you should take advantage of any overseas study opportunities.
