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Patricia A. Cholewka, Ed.D, MPA, MA, RN, BC
Assistant Professor, New York City College of Technology–CUNY, Brooklyn, NY
Field: Public/Global Health
Host Institution: Vilnius University, Institute of Public Health of the Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius, Lithuania
Dates of Grant: August 31, 2007 to January 31, 2008
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I spent 5 months from 2007 to 2008 at Vilnius University on a U.S. Fulbright Scholar lecture/research grant. Established under the influence of ideas of the Renaissance, Reformation and Counter-Reformation, Vilnius University is considered one of the oldest universities in Central and Eastern Europe—founded in 1579. Located in Vilnius, the largest city and capital of Lithuania, Vilnius University is the largest university in Lithuania with a student body of over 24,000 and an academic staff of 1,276. It has 12 faculties, 8 institutes, 10 study and research centers, the oldest library in Lithuania, an astronomical observatory, a botanical garden, a computer center, a major Catholic church, and 3 university-affiliated hospitals.
My goals for my Fulbright Scholar Award to Vilnius University included identifying the role of Lithuanian nurse education and practice for Information Technology (IT) implementation within the Lithuanian healthcare system. I also wanted to identify perceived needs of nurses for IT to advance their nursing practice, compare IT implementation in Lithuania with the U.S. eHealth experience, and explore the possibility of developing an academic and professional nursing network for future information exchange. My results provided me with the opportunity to contribute to nursing IT research in the U.S. and to contribute to the development of a sustainable healthcare system in Lithuania that involves nurse IT users.
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I had previous experience working within the Lithuanian healthcare system since 1993, and my Fulbright experience gave me the chance to visit colleagues at the Kaunas Medical University and see the advances and improvements their healthcare system has sustained since gaining independence and joining the global community. For my Fulbright experience I wanted to also visit Vilnius University for a more comprehensive view of national healthcare issues. Although I found plenty of information, and everyone I met was eager to assist me in my research, many documents I needed were in Lithuanian and not yet translated into English.
I felt a strong tie to the Kaunas area as it where my maternal grandparents are from. My Fulbright experience allowed me to walk through most of historic Vilnius and take part in many of the cultural events that were available for free or for a nominal fee to the general population, which deepened my cultural emersion. During that time I met the people of Vilnius, attended various concerts, toured the museums, sampled foods from many different restaurants, attended Mass at various beautiful churches, and walked through the neighborhoods admiring the architecture. I am proud of my experience in Vilnius where I savored the history, rich culture, and the important place Vilnius has in world history. I certainly recommend this safe and modern destination for consideration by other Fulbright Scholars.
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