15/04/2016

UIC Barcelona nursing students raise awareness about alcohol abuse among 400 young people

75 nursing students from the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC Barcelona) recently raised awareness among 400 secondary school pupils about the dangers of alcohol abuse via 5 practical workshops. The conference was provided with support from Sant Cugat City Council and the Catalan Public Healthcare Agency, and cooperation from the Emergency Medical System (SEM) and the Association for the Prevention of Traffic Accidents (A(P)AT). Dr Candela Calle, Director and General Manager of the Catalan Healthcare Institute (ICS) and the ICO, also attended this event. 

The event began after a theatrical performance on this issue. Subsequently there was a workshop on cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, another on first aid and two on the abusive consumption of alcohol and drugs, which invited attendees to think about the consequences of an excessive intake. One of the workshops involved imagining attendees were at a party which then led to a traffic accident, and in another they were able to observe the visual alterations caused by alcohol. The last workshop involved a representation of frequent scenes between young people which provided a demonstration of psychological mistreatment.  While the workshops were on, 4th year nursing students gave a talk to parents and professors in which they pointed out the keys to detecting risky behaviour. 

Dr Cristina Monforte, Director of the Department of Nursing at UIC Barcelona, said that she was satisfied with the event, which this year is the fifth edition since “the objective which was set out was achieved: to contribute towards creating a society which is more aware of health issues”.  Dr Monforte underlined the fact that it was the students themselves who taught other students, and said “in terms of teaching it has been demonstrated that greater learning occurs when the message is given peer-to-peer.  When having to take on real tasks as nurses this also has a professionalising impact on our students”.