In this episode of the EWMA podcasts, Samantha Holloway, Chair of the EWMA Education Committee and Teacher Network, speaks to Sebastian Probst and Ida Verheyen-Cronau about the standardisation of the wound education in Europe. Both podcast guests shares their experience in implementation of the EWMA level 5 and 6 post-registration curricula for nurses in Switzerland and Germany.

Important notes from episode 02 – Standardisation Wound Education in EU:

Sebastian Probst and Ida Verheyen-Cronau share their institutions’ experience in implementing EWMA level 5 and 6 post-registration curricula for nurses. Both guests believe it is important to speak “a common language” when preparing the next generation of wound management professionals in Europe. Ida and Sebastian emphasize the cost-efficiency and effectiveness of working together across European borders to implement one common European curriculum. At the same time, wound management educators can adapt the European curricula to their national realities, taking into consideration their national healthcare and education systems. The podcast host and the guests also talk about the end goal of creating a common standardised curriculum for all healthcare professionals.

Ida shares her insights into taking the first steps toward aligning a national curriculum with EWMA’s wound curriculum for nurses. She suggests focussing first on the level of knowledge/competencies and then on the topics and number of hours. She illustrates her point with a recent example from her practice: a Swiss nurse who took a course in Germany asked for help comparing her qualifications ahead of starting a new job in Switzerland.

Sebastian describes in detail how he and his colleagues at the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland are implementing EWMA level 5 and 6 post-registration curricula for nurses and what challenges they’ve encountered on their way.

The guests also consider the role of the teacher in this discussion. It is important that teachers updating an existing curriculum, teaching a new course or using new pedagogic approaches have the opportunity to develop their competencies and get help from their peers. EWMA’s Teacher Network is one of the platforms where educators can discuss these challenges and ask their peers for advice.