AVVRG | Vic Team

The Vic Health Education Team is located in Melbourne, Australia. The Team began by implementing a Nurse Conference in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) in 2003. The continuation of the Conferences has evolved to include several other health care professions.

The Vic Health Education Team is located in Melbourne, Australia, and welcomes members from all states. The Team began with a group of nurses visiting two hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) in 2002. In 2003, the group extended the number of hospitals visited and implemented the first International Nursing Conference in HCMC. Now, the Team comprises approximately 40 health care professionals, including Physiotherapists, Doctors, Occupational Therapists, Dieticians and Speech Pathologists.

All Team members fund their own visit costs. Currently, the Health Education Team engages with eight major hospitals in HCMC, with each hospital having a specialty health care interest relationship with the Team. The hospitals visited are:

Bien Vien Binh Dan – General and Urology hospital.
Bien Vien Tu Du – Midwifery
Bien Vien Huong Vung – Midwifery
Bien Vien Cho Ray – General, neurology, trauma
Bien Vien Nguyen Tri Phuong – General
Bien Vien Nhi Dong 1 – Children's Hospital #1
Bien Vien Nhi Dong 2 – Children's Hospital #2
Bien Vien HTO - Traumatology and Orthopedics – Orthopeadics and Microsurgery

In contrast to hospitals in Australia, Vietnamese hospitals are huge. Many have in excess of 1000 beds. For example, Cho Ray has 1700 beds with approximately 3000 patients sharing those beds. One of the maternity hospitals had 51,000 births last year (the Royal Women's’ Hospital in Melbourne had 6,000). Families provide all the patient personal care. So, as well as the many inpatients, there are also countless relatives (many who also take up residence) in the hospital.

In providing support and education, the Vic Health Education Team professionals are often surprised that even with considerable limitations (by Australian standards), the Vietnamese health providers manage to perform detailed and complex procedures. Some procedures are far more innovative than undertaken in Australia: cost limitations make for ingenious ways to solve problems.

As shown in the diagram, the Vic Health Education Team work on a continuous 12 month cycle.

Cycle over 12 months

Soon after returning from the annual Health Education programme, the Team Leadership Committee identifies equipment that may be of use for the various hospitals. The Team pursues fundraising activities to procure the necessary equipment to take to Vietnam on the next annual programme.

The Team Leadership Committee also finalise Team members for the Team to partake in the next annual programme. With Team members, the Team Leadership Committee develop the program for the next annual programme. In September, two Team members travel to Vietnam to meet with all the hospitals and finalise the individual programs as well as determine the topics for the annual Nursing Conference.

On their return the annual program is finalised. With the annual program completed, each contributing Team member constructs their presentation. A written version of the ‘presentation‘ is then sent to Vietnam to be translated, and be ready for the audience.

The annual programme Team members travel to Vietnam for two weeks in January or February each year to provide education for hospital staff. On the Team member's return, the preparation for the next trip begins. Recruiting gets underway for Team members to commit to the next annual programme.

Each year the education topics we are able to offer the hospitals depends on the expertise of the team members. The Health Education Team has to date been fortunate that committed health professionals have willingly given their time to help educate their Vietnamese colleagues. In return, these Team members gain a valuable insight into a very different way of life, and the sense of purpose displayed by Vietnamese health care professionals working in less affluent and (often) trying circumstances.

Several social events are held leading up to the time of the trip, to enable team members to meet, and find out more details of what to expect when they are in Vietnam. While these social events are educative, they are designed to be enjoyable.

While the Vic Health Education Team is based in Melbourne, it has members from all over Australia. If you are interested in joining our Team - or would like more information - please contact Tricia (Team President) or Jen (Team Secretary) on avvrgvic@gmail.com

Victorian Nurse recognised for volunteering in Vietnam

Barwon Health’s Tricia Ansell has been formally recognised by the Vietnamese government for her efforts as a volunteer.

A registered nurse and current capital works project officer, Ms Ansell is the president of the Victorian branch of Australia-Vietnam Volunteers Resource Group (AVVRG).

Each year for the last nine, she has led a team of 45 health professionals to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to provide education in eight different hospitals – in the form of seminars, conferences for local nurses and bedside training for staff.

‘The award is an acknowledgment of the whole group and what we do,’ Ms Ansell said.

‘It’s a good program which has seen small but sustainable changes along the way.

‘AVVRG team members feel they have the skills and expertise to share with the Vietnamese.

‘They are like-minded people who are a credit to our health profession – they are amazingly resilient.

‘We’ve made some great friends around the town – Ho Chi Minh City – the people are fantastic.

‘We love the city and love Vietnam.’

Ms Ansell said the benefits of the annual two-week program were mutual.

‘They do amazing things with limited resources – we learn as much about innovation from them as they get from us.

‘It can be quite confronting when you go but it makes the trip – I see it as a great experience all round.’

The group also conducts fundraising and, this year, donated mannequins to the hospitals to use in training.

Reference: Victorian Department of Health

Victoria Health Education Team Newsletter with 2010 Trip Details Click Here