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From left to right are Hiromi Sakuda, Ph.D., and Yumi Saito, Ph.D., of the Kyoto University in Japan, Marlene Cohen, Ph.D., UNMC College of Nursing associate dean for research, and interpreter, UNMC student Satoko Kiyota. |
The two had contacted Marlene Cohen, Ph.D., UNMC College of Nursing associate dean for research, to ask if they could visit her to discuss her work with quality of life and symptoms in patients undergoing cancer treatment. They also knew about a book she wrote that is translated in Japanese.
“They’d read about my work in this area and wanted to visit in February, so they bought new coats so they could visit,” said Dr. Cohen, Kenneth E. Morehead Endowed Chair in Nursing. “The weather was not as bad as they expected.”
The Japanese nursing faculty members have done research about the quality of life in patients who’ve undergone bone marrow transplantation, and Dr. Sakuda wrote a book about treatment for lymphedema, a condition related to fluid retention in people with compromised lymphatic system.
While in Omaha, Drs. Saito and Sakuda also learned a lot about master’s and doctoral nursing programs.
They will launch Japan’s first master’s in nursing program in oncology nursing in April, and a doctoral program in a few years. Speaking through an interpreter, they said the visit stimulated them as teachers and researchers.
“We are impressed by the collaboration between departments. The information we learned here will help us develop our educational and research programs,” Dr. Saito said. “We are glad to have friendship with the college.”
During their visit, they learned about the various academic and research programs of the college, took tours of the campus and saw some of Omaha. During a luncheon presentation, they shared information about nursing and nursing education in Japan and Japanese culture.