Healthcare Students Visit Eakin Healthcare

Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care students from SERC Newtownards Campus made a visit to Eakin Healthcare facilities in Comber recently, were they furthered their knowledge of healthcare products in a work environment in which they are created.  

Eakin Healthcare is a family-owned company that provides healthcare products and services to over sixty countries worldwide, with offices and subsidiaries in the UK, Ireland, Netherlands, France, Japan, Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg. The students were welcomed to the factory in Comber by Eakin Healthcare representatives Shona Coulson and Andy Smolenski, who told them about the company and the healthcare products it makes, particularly ostomy products.  

SERC Health and Social Care Curriculum Manager Nikki Rainey comments, “Both myself and my colleague Tracey Flynn have experience in ostomy care at the Ulster Hospital—mine dating back to the 90s—so we've witnessed significant advancements in ostomy products over the years. Tracey also worked as one of the Colorectal Clinical Nurse Specialists there, but neither of us had visited the Eakins Healthcare factory before, where we and the students all got insight into the latest in ostomy product development.  

“The visit was especially relevant as we have just covered ostomy care in class, where we have been demonstrating how to apply, remove, and change ostomy products using a manikin. Overall, the students thoroughly enjoyed the visit, as many of the students aspire to become nurses and will work with patients using ostomy products.”   

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