by Steffanie Lindgren ’10

Back row: Barb Hoglund (Bethel Faculty); Mardon Breimoen (Rector, Diakonova University College); Marge Schaffer (Bethel Faculty) Front row: Sandy Peterson (Bethel Faculty); Ragnhild Utgaard Nordahl (Dean of Studies of Bachelor Degree in Nursing, Diakonova University College)

Silva Code Source «Image Plus caption»Bethel’s nursing department recently formed a partnership with Diakonova University College in Oslo, Norway, through which faculty members will collaborate to conduct research in specialty areas such as public health, end-of-life care, and parish nursing.

Diakonova is a private Christian college focused exclusively on nursing.

“We want our students to understand healthcare and nursing from a global perspective,” said Sandy Peterson, a professor of nursing and Bethel’s nursing department chair.

The partnership between Bethel and Diakonova grew out of a connection between Fulbright Scholar and Bethel Professor of Nursing Marge Schaffer and Diakonova nursing professors. Schaffer met members of the Norwegian faculty after presenting her Fulbright Scholar research. Then, Diakonova professors Kari Glavin and Lisbeth Kvarme visited Bethel last year, and the Norwegian professors approached Schaffer about establishing a partnership between the two universities. Diakonova applied for funding from the Norwegian government, and the Bethel nursing department provided a letter of support. The Norwegian government approved the funding.

Diakonova hosted the International Public Health Nursing Conference on Oct. 15-16. Following the conference, three Bethel nursing professors met with Diakonova nursing faculty to finalize details of the partnership and help Diakonova develop a master’s in public health.

“This provides the opportunity to explore different ways to think about education, nursing, public health, and professional development. The partnership can only enrich our department,” said Schaffer.

Both universities are hopeful that the partnership will directly benefit students as well as faculty. The two nursing departments discussed student exchanges and the possibility of Bethel students participating in Diakonova’s work with an ethnic minority group in Estonia.

Two faculty members from Diakonova University College are planning to come to Bethel University in April to present a concurrent session at the Nursing Department Research and Practice Symposium.