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8th US-Russian Nursing Conference Cruise |
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Three individuals each bring unique knowledge and experience of either nursing or Russia to their work in directing and coordinating the Conference Cruise. Their combined expertise serves to provide an integration of conference learning with experiencing and enjoying Russia. Each has an interest in facilitating conversation between US and Russian nurses so participants will increase their understanding of nursing practice, education and the delivery of health care in the US and Russia. Their efforts to promote integration of learning from conference sessions, site visits and seeing the sights of Russia create a unique conference experience. Marie J. Driever, PhD, RN, is a clinical nurse researcher with a background in continuing nursing education. Marie has developed and coordinated program planning for the Conference Cruises since 2000. Her participation in all 7 of the previous Conference Cruises has resulted in collaborations with Russian and other US participants to offer workshops and conferences on ethics and nursing research to Russian nurses in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Arkhangelsk. Information about the planning, implementation and outcomes of the Conference Cruise has been reported in presentations at Sigma Theta Tau, International Conventions and as publications in The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing. Since the 2003 Conference Cruise when the small grants program for Russian nurses was initiated, Marie has coordinated the proposal development and funding support for the projects Russian complete in their work settings after the Conference Cruises. Rachel Difazio, MSN, RN is a pediatric nurse practitioner who works within the Department of Orthopaedics at Childrens Hospital, Boston. Her interest in Russia began in 1997 when her chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, International began working with nursing faculty and nursing students at the Moscow Medical Academy, IM Sechenov. Since that time, Rachel has worked collaboratively with Russian nurses on multiple projects, articles, and educational exchanges throughout Russia. She has been the co-coordinator of the Conference Cruise since 2000. In 2007, Rachel won the Nursing Spectrum Community service award for her involvement in projects in Russia. Sean McGivern, MS, the Founder of the US-Russian Nursing Conference Cruises, is a Russian Specialist who has worked in Russia since 1988 and now spends over 60% of his time in Russia. Sean focuses his expertise and experience to help professional groups learn and experience Russia, and in doing so promote cultural understanding and appreciation between individuals from the US and Russia. The experience of Russia that Sean provides involves the expected Russian sightseeing, but in addition, having the US professionals with whom he is working meet and become acquainted with their Russian counterparts. Sean has worked successfully with nursing, social work, hospice, education, and art groups. To promote a cultural and education experience on the Russian waterways, Sean originated the US-Russian Nursing Conference Cruises in 1997. In addition to organizing the Russian visits and learning for these professional groups, he also helps them develop follow-up exchanges between individuals from the US and Russia. A teacher by background, Sean has worked with educational groups to organize their Russian visits and also helped them develop and then coordinated exchanges between US and Russian high school and university students. Sean has been involved in over seventy-Russian Nursing exchanges since 1991 and sees this as a prime focus of his work as a US-Russian consultant.
These three individuals have a history of planning, organizing and implementing the US-Russian Nursing Conference Cruises. Based on participant evaluations from previous Conference Cruises, they strive to continually improve this experience of a conference with Russian nurses on the Russian waterways. For further information, please contact: |
Copyright 2005 |