| Reflections:
ICN Internship
(Summer 2004)
Source: Elyssa Vasas
My internship with the ICN was an enriching experience,
and one that has left lasting impressions on my career trajectory.
Being there expanded my understanding of the role of international
organizations in the development of nursing practice, education,
and science. I was impressed with the ability of the ICN
to address the diverse issues affecting nurses around the
world, and also their commitment to advocating for nurses
within the wider global health community.
I spent my time at the ICN working with their nurse consultants
on various projects. Several of their policies were up for
review, and helping revise them proved to be an interesting
experience. Specifically, I dealt with the policies related
to International Nurse Transfer and Migration, and International
Trade Agreements. Reviewing comments from nurse experts from
around the world, I began to understand the difficulty in
creating guidelines and policies that integrate the perspectives
of countries with very different priorities for their nurses.
We were also afforded the opportunity of attending a meeting
at the United Nations, and this experience was invaluable.
We were able to see how representatives from various disciplines
meet and exchange ideas with a focus on global health and
human rights.
Geneva is a beautiful city, and proved to be an exciting
place to spend the summer. Due to a large international presence,
the city offers a wide array of cultural activities, foods,
and music. Switzerland is also a wonderful country for travel,
and I spent my weekends on trains – seeing the Alps
and trying the fondue.
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