#AHT: Collaboration between the “American Hospital Tbilisi” and the Community College “Panacea”

American Hospital Tbilisi and Community College Panacea have inked a collaboration agreement. The project provides an excellent opportunity for each student to study and receive valuable hands-on experience in a safe learning environment that will benefit their future career development and employment.

Community College “Panacea” is 140 years old.  College motto – “High quality education for real employment”. 90% of college graduates are employed in leading medical institutions in Georgia. Moreover, 30% of the staff of the American Hospital Tbilisi Nursing Department are graduates of this college.

Maia Chikhladze, Doctor of Medicine and one of the heads of the Public College “Panacea” and the founder of this college, Vice-President of the Georgian Association of Private Colleges. 

– On what basis, Ms. Maya, did you choose to collaborate with “American Hospital Tbilisi”?

The “American Hospital Tbilisi” delivers high-quality healthcare services, is guided by internationally recognised standards, and is patient-centered. Panacea college has been serving the most critical workforce in the healthcare system for more than a century – educating and supplying qualified nurses and, as a result, selecting an institution as a partner that satisfies all of the system’s practical training demands.

The “American Hospital Tbilisi” is just that space, filled by highly qualified nursing staff. It is an ideal setting for students to get a high-quality education and develop the practical skills necessary to succeed in the nursing profession.

– Why should prospective nurses choose Panacea College?

– The answer is unequivocally simple – because it is an ancient vocational education institution that meets the modern requirements of the labor market; Offers students a well-equipped and comfortable learning environment; Has state support and full funding.

A centuries-old tradition in an ultra-modern environment

The “American Hospital Tbilisi – AHT” formally opened on October 20, 2021. Patient-centered international standard services are now a reality, following the opening of a new, creative, high-tech hospital in the heart of Tbilisi. The hospital’s primary objective is to become a symbol of optimism in Georgian medicine; also, it is a venue where doctors and nurses are continually discussing patients’ diagnoses, pathologies management, and treatment procedures. Most notably, the Innovative Hospital is built on the synchronised work of a large number of highly qualified specialists and the cooperation idea.

The administration of the 183-bed hospital has a healthy ambition to alter not only Georgia’s medical landscape, but also the entire region! 

Ia Gelenidze, Director of the Nursing Service at the American Hospital in Tbilisi – Expert in Vocational Education Authorization, President of the Nurses’ Union, Delegate of Georgia to the International Nursing Council – ICN, Global Nursing Research – “Development of Nursing Regulations and Practice Standards in the World” – Graduated from “Panacea”.

“The goal of our hospital nursing team is to create an innovative, up-to-date safe nursing practice in the healthcare system and thus become a market leader.

“American Hospital Tbilisi’s biggest challenge for specialists in each field as a clinical base is not only to provide safe and high-quality health care services, but also to become a springboard for education and professional development for future nurses,” said Ia Gelenidze.

“Strategic priorities for encouraging nursing professional growth for the AHT team include the following: establishment of the Nursing Service as a self-contained structural unit and integral member of the larger team – development of an innovative nursing management structure; Program of continuous professional development based on worldwide standards – theoretical and practical staff training; Internationalization of high-quality, safe nursing practise – Establishment of standards in the sphere of practise “Investing in nursing staff through professional experience sharing and exchange programmes,” stated Ia Gelenidze.

Irma Razmadze, Director of the Inpatient Nursing Department at American Hospital Tbilisi and Founder of the Critical Care Nursing Association, is a vocational education teacher. Like Ia Gelenidze, she is a graduate of the Public College – “Panacea”. As a result of his cooperation with Panacea, he expects a lot of motivated young people and proudly states that as an employer, he always gives preference to Panacea alumni among the many nurses at the selection stage.

“I am happy that I studied at Panacea, because I fell in love with my profession there. As for the students of this college who are undergoing internships at our hospital, of course, including future staff I see, the practical activities and achievements for each student are so impressive that based on the evaluation results we expect most to be employed in our clinic. “, – says Irma Razmadze.

Reasons why “Panacea” is chosen

Ia Gelenidze, director of the American Hospital Tbilisi Nursing Service, says she has always been a student who initiated and was attracted to challenges:

“I’ve always had unconventional views, I’ve always been an active student, I’ve had the support and motivation of teachers, and I’ve contributed significantly to the profession’s development; this was and continues to be my objective as a specialist in the field.” I attended student conferences and field trips. “Panacea” has always been an educational institution devoted to the advancement of students’ professional interests, and it continues to be so today and in the future. I am delighted to be a graduate of Panacea College. It is a place where they will educate you how to care for others, how to safeguard public and professional values, how to become the greatest nurse possible, and how to succeed in the profession.

Irma Razmadze:

“First of all,” Panacea “made me fall in love with the profession. Without it, I would not be a successful nurse today. “Panacea is our roots and solid foundation.”

Rusudan Metskhovrishvili, Director of Nursing Services at the American Hospital Tbilisi Outpatient Department, is a graduate of Panacea.

Rusudan Metskhovrishvili:

Panacea is a college focused on innovation, innovation and education. Students in such an environment develop into future professionals, as well as learn and acquire many qualities that will help them succeed in their endeavors.

Panacea College as an educational institution is a springboard where highly qualified nurses grow up.

Panacea’s student Irakli Todua is doing an internship at American Hospital Tbilisi, which he especially likes when he helps people:

“I love when I take care of people, especially when it comes to their health, because it’s most valuable. Nevertheless, I could not have imagined that I would be in Panacea, but a person who had a thorough knowledge of the curriculum and teaching methods recommended me, I believed him and passed the course. “As for the Georgian American Hospital Tbilisi, I like everything here – corporate attitude, order, discipline, quality of nursing and service.”

Salome Chokoshvili is also a student of “Panacea”, who is doing an internship at the “American Hospital in Tbilisi”. Salome dreamed of becoming a doctor, but after she got an internship at the American Hospital in Tbilisi and met Ia Gelenidze, she changed her mind about medicine:

“I am a pharmacist by profession, I was studying at a medical university and thus, a white coat was not foreign to me. I wanted to be a doctor, but in order to become a really professional, I decided to start nursing. That is why I was transferred to “Panacea”, where I met a very good environment and teachers. After I got an internship at the American Hospital in Tbilisi, I was reminded of Gray’s Anatomy from the very beginning. American Hospital Tbilisi is a place where everyone is a professional, you can be proud of your position. “After meeting Ms. Ia, I set a goal to become one of the best nurses and I finally changed my mind about medicine.”