Based on health data 2008 announced by Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on June 26, 2008, average life expectancy in Japan was 82.4( fiscal 2006), the longest among member countries (30 countries including Japan, the U.S. and Europe) and degree of obesity was the lowest. One of the reasons for achieving the longest life expectancy in the world is essentially the progress of medicine, but if it is the only factor, the U.S and European countries would have achieved the longest life expectancy. Let me consider from the viewpoint of obesity. Japan is an island country surrounded by sea. Japanese people have lived on raw fish, fresh vegetables, seaweeds, rice, miso and fermented soybeans. The lifestyle of the Japanese centered on raw fish is regarded to have maintained the obesity rate by far lower than that of the meat-eating western countries. (Japan: 24.9%, the U.S.: 67.3%, Germany: 49.6%, Italy: 45.1%)
The three major causes of death of the Japanese are stroke, heart disease and cancer. 50% of stroke, heart disease and 30 to 35% of cancer is regarded to be attributable to foods. In Japan today where foods are increasingly westernized, people can extend their life further by staying on a traditional healthy diet. Japanese medical insurance system acknowledged by WHO as the best in the world would be a reason for longevity. But it began to show signs of strain with healthcare system for the latter-stage elderly starting April 2008. In these circumstances surrounding medical care, our nursing school aims to train nurses to work at the facilities under our founding parent organization Social welfare corporation Hirakata Ryoikuen including institution for severely-retarded children, support facilities for persons with disabilities, special nursing home for the elderly and rehabilitation facilities for persons with mental disabilities.
Our education principle is "To foster balanced humanity as a member of society based on the dignity of life and respect for human beings." Our education objective is "To provide special education for nursing care while nurturing creative humanity in order to foster nurses who can contribute to social welfare." In order to achieve these principle and objective, we provide rich course instruction by experienced instructors, practical training instruction by sufficient full-time teachers and precise preparation instruction for national examination under the compassionate economic assistance by Hirakata Ryoikuen, our founding parent organization. In the modern medicine where sophistication and specialization are enhanced, team medicine has become in place by various specialized staff.
In order to provide team medicine efficiently, it is essential to share patient information and communicate among various kinds of staff. While it is difficult to communicate smoothly, all the teachers cooperate to facilitate our graduates in becoming persons who understand other people's feelings precisely.
