Dr. Trae Stewart from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS, USA) conducted two sessions for nursing students at Parul University. He has covered 5 types of hallucinations –
- Command hallucinations are the most concerning: patients feel forced to obey them
- Disorganised speech and loose associations: ‘I want to smoke a joint, joints keep my body together, together we can do anything.’
- Assessment questions for auditory hallucinations: What is the voice like? Is it commanding? Where is it coming from?
- Schizophrenia occurs in episodes, not all at once. Some patients become emotionally numb after repeated episodes.
- Patients with psychosis are rarely inherently dangerous.
In the second session, a psychotropic medications workshop, students took the lead.
Ayushma Khamcha and Tina Gurung presented on Escitalopram (SSRI for depression and anxiety, monitoring suicidal ideation in early weeks, side effects including nausea and insomnia).
Vanshika (6th Semester B.Sc. Nursing, also session anchor), Ridham, and Ankit presented on Lorazepam (benzodiazepine for acute anxiety, insomnia, and seizures, risk of dependency, gradual tapering essential).
Dr. Stewart praised their symptom analysis but urged them to always look at the underlying physiology, not just the symptoms. Knowing the cure is one thing, he said, but understanding the contraindications and drug interactions is where a nurse truly saves lives.
Students described the peer presentations as empowering. One junior student remarked that seeing classmates present at that level made the information feel much more reachable. His closing to the Florence Hall audience: I heard your voices today, and I see the future of nursing in this room. A pill can balance a chemical, but a nurse balances a life. Stay curious, stay precise, and never forget that your patients are trusting you with their most vulnerable moments. You are the last line of defence. Come join in the tribe and enroll into B.Sc. Nursing at Parul University.
Dr. Suresh Babu Naidu Krishna (South Africa) - Deliberated Views on Research Methodology and Nursing Entrepreneurship
Dr. Suresh Babu Naidu Krishna from Durban University of Technology (South Africa) transformed Room 305 in the Nursing Building into a research methods workshop. He challenged the room with a direct statement: people think nursing students are just caregivers. But I emphasise that they should be entrepreneurs. By that I mean they should be entrepreneurial in their approach.
Become their own bosses and give jobs to others. They need to lead, not just follow. He urged students to stay updated with the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) website, noting that downloading current government policy docs is a matter of common sense for any science student aiming to benefit their community.
Dr. Naidu’s closing: achievement comes to those who dedicate themselves. Spend more time to achieve your goal. Connect with your research passionately. If you do not get desired results, analyse your mistakes, talk to mentors, and restart. If you aim to build your career in Nursing Entrepreneurship, explore programmes in the Faculty of Nursing, Parul University.
FAQ
Do international professors teach nursing at Parul University?
Yes. IVPP 2026 brought Dr. Trae Stewart for psychiatric nursing including schizophrenia, psychosis, and psychotropic medications, and Dr. Suresh Babu Naidu Krishna for health research methodology.
What clinical topics were covered?
Five types of hallucinations, Elyn Saks case study, disorganised speech patterns, command hallucinations assessment, Escitalopram and Lorazepam clinical profiles, 12+ research data collection methods, the Delphi Method, interview guide design, and the case for nursing entrepreneurship.
