Taking the Best of Both Worlds | Kiyoka Nozue, Assistant to the Dean, Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care
2021.07.27
The Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care was established at SFC in 2001. Twenty years have passed since then—how quickly time flies. Our graduates are making significant contributions in their fields. They are fulfilling their respective roles in a wide variety of settings, too numerous to list. Some practice as nursing professionals in hospitals, home healthcare, government, and industry. Others work for international organizations to protect the health of people in developing countries, start their own businesses utilizing their nursing expertise, or engage in education and research. It is truly reassuring to see their success.
In the future, the fields and nature of their work will likely expand and transform even further. Technological innovation is rapidly accelerating, and the structure of society is also changing dramatically. Medical technology will advance by leaps and bounds, the use of AI and IoT will progress, and telemedicine will accelerate. The COVID-19 pandemic has served as a catalyst for this. Healthcare will become more integrated into people's daily lives, developing seamlessly between home and hospital. The scope of discretion for healthcare professionals will become more flexible, and the roles and settings for nursing professionals are sure to become more diverse. Nursing professionals who support the self-management of health and illness will be able to freely develop and provide services while utilizing digital data. Of course, even as technology evolves rapidly, the structure and function of the human body itself will remain largely unchanged (though we might see things like brain transplants into cyborg bodies). Therefore, the need for nursing care that accompanies people through life, aging, illness, and death, tailored to each individual's needs, will remain constant. I sincerely hope that our graduates will envision the future of the nursing profession in this new era and become innovators and leaders who provide healthcare that allows people to live with peace of mind and as themselves, even if they become ill, have a disability, or grow old.
Students of the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care begin their university life at SFC, a place where individuality and free thinking are respected and encouraged. This is a unique model not found in other nursing universities. They can study in an environment that is perfect for cultivating the ability to think and create flexibly and deeply, unbound by existing systems. They then move to the Shinanomachi campus to learn more specialized and advanced medical care. While the one-faculty, two-campus system presents many challenges for students, faculty, and staff, I want to make the most of it by taking the best of both worlds and fully supporting the young people who will shape the future of nursing and medical care. We hope to further strengthen connections with other campuses using the remote technologies accelerated by COVID-19, expanding opportunities for richer experiences and learning.
As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise daily, I hope everyone will take care and make the most of this summer.