Students from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Philadelphia, USA) attended a course organized by the Department of Community and Maternal Child Care Nursing of the University of Navarra School of Nursing. The course entitled Mother‐Child Health Program: A Nursing Perspective took place from May 12th to 16th in the academic center.

According to Cristina García Vivar, Deputy Director of the Department of Community and Materna Child Care Nursing, the aim of the course "is to share experiences in relation to neonatal and mother-child care with a global point of view". "Nursing is an art that combines science and humanism", pointed out Gracía Vivar in the inauguration. In this respect, the educational program joined theoretical and practical sessions given by experts form the academic center with cultural activities.

During this week they learned about the Spanish National Health System, the caring for the parents during the pregnancy and the labor, nursing care in a multicultural environment and neonatal and children's care in the intensive care unit. In addition to these classes, the students visited the School of Nursing of the University of Navarra, the University of Navarra Clinic and the Hospital Complex of Navarra. The students visited special care units, including their Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, their Neonatal Unit and their delivery room.

Regarding the cultural part of this workshop the students visited Pamplona (capital city of Navarra) and surroundings. They experienced the regional customs by walking along the Encierro (Bull Run) of the Sanfermines and viewing part of The Way of Saint James.

According to Barbara Medoff-Cooper, University of Pennsylvania Ruth M. Colket Professor in Pediatric Nursing, "this program of the University of Navarra is an opportunity to know the differences between the Spanish and the American Healthcare Systems. You can appreciate different perspectives in how you can help families with their healthcare. In Spain there is a wonderful supervision of child healthcare, health surveillance is strongly emphasized."

For Maria Isabel Saracíbar, Dean of the Nursing School, this experience "promotes cultural exchange and mutual enrichment between two countries that differ in their National Health System, but share a universal nursing practice".