UNCG nurses lead education effort in refugee crisis teaching Moldova nurses

GREENSBORO, N.C. (WTVD) -- According to the UN Refugee Agency, more than 3 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia's invasion in February.

More than 300,000 refugees have ended up in Moldova, a small country neighboring Ukraine. Thousands of miles away, nurses from UNCG Nursing are leading the education effort for Moldovan health care workers amid the refugee crisis through webinars about caring for the unique needs of the refugee population.

A Zoom webinar on March 10, with many nurses in Moldova and Ukraine invited, hit a maximum capacity of 500. The webinar focused on common infectious diseases, managing chronic conditions, special conditions for vulnerable populations, and the unique needs of the refugee population. The new program is part of the work of the NC-Moldova Nursing Collaborative.

"They have one trauma center. We are trying to help them with the information that they need to be able to do the best job that they can," said Audrey Snyder of the UNCG School of Nursing. "Especially if there continues to be civilian casualties, civilian injuries. And they need to work with them as they enter their country."

UNC Greensboro's School of Nursing, as well as the Guilford Rotary Club, has had a history of collaboration with Moldovan nurses. In 2019, the Republic of Moldova Ambassador to the United States visited the UNCG School of Nursing, marking 10 years of the school's collaboration with Moldovan nurses. At the time, they discussed hopes of increasing the capability of Moldovan nurses to help improve the health of their citizens.

UNCG's nursing school will be hosting six webinars to help healthcare workers in Europe care for refugees.