The first cohort of UNMC College of Nursing students traveled to Norway to get a taste of what the country’s nursing education – and culture – are all about.
In summer of 2025, recent UNMC graduates Devin Moline, Meredith Gaura, Kelsey Horton and Aleyah Hunzeker traveled to Norway to visit the University of Agder in Kristiansand, Norway and tour the country. The trip is part of an exchange partnership between the two colleges.
Horton, who studied at the UNMC College of Nursing – Northern Division, attended the program because of a desire to further her world knowledge of healthcare on the heels of previous trips to Belize and Peru.
“The Norway program was another chance for me to immerse myself into another culture and learn about the differences in the healthcare systems,” she said. “I had a strong desire to connect with others and see things from a new perspective.”
Moline echoed Horton’s statements, saying she appreciated the importance of understanding healthcare on a global scale.
“I think it’s important as healthcare workers to understand how others view healthcare and how they want to be cared for,” Moline added.
Beth Beam, PhD, director of Global Health at the UNMC College of Nursing, said these experiences are important for students from both universities as it strengthens the understanding of health systems across the globe.
“The students have been great ambassadors for UNMC when they are in Norway and will come home to present a recorded talk on the experience,” she said. “These global health experiences help our future nurses see how our systems might different but also how many health challenges are the same.”
While in Norway, the students explored healthcare systems throughout Grimstad and Kristiansand. Moline said they were able to see several differences up close, including Norway’s attention to home health access and the cost of healthcare.
“(Norway) has universal healthcare and all people are able to receive care for little to no cost,” she said. “This results in people not waiting last minute to get care and ultimately helped them live a better life because they we able to catch conditions in earlier stages.”
Gaura noted from an educational standpoint, nursing school is “mostly free’ to the general population, especially those pursuing graduate degrees. She said she was also able to see how a student’s average clinical day differed.
“The longest day for them would be about an eight hour shift in a nursing home,” she said. “Otherwise, in the community setting, it’s about 4 to 5 hours.”
The students also had the opportunity to explore Norway outside of the classroom. The trip coincided with Norway’s Constitution Day on May 17. The celebration included a children’s parade, games and cultural traditions.
“As one of our first weekends in the country, it was wonderful to meet so many people and experience a big holiday with new friends,” Gaura said.
Spending time with the students at Agder, Horton said, let them see Norway’s culture from an intimate point of view.
“They were so welcoming to us and we were invited to all of their outings, events and even just spent half a day off at the beach,” she said.
Now back in the United States, the students agree that anyone who is able should explore healthcare on a global scale.
“I think that these experiences have made me a better nurse and they have taught me values that I will continue to enhance throughout my career,” Horton said.
A cohort of four students have been selected for the second cohort, which travels to Norway in May and June of this year.