Jacque Myatt of South Plains College recently traveled to Germany to present a paper on prostate cancer.

The presentation was made during the 8th World Congress on Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory, which was held in Ulm, Germany. The Congress, which is hosted by a different country each time, takes place every two years. Participants from more than 15 countries worldwide work together to establish a network of nursing scientists, which will reach across cultural and political context.

Among the countries represented were China, Germany, Iran, Japan, Thailand, and the United States. Myatt, an instructor in associate degree nursing at SPC, went to Ulm to present her thesis paper ‘Exploring Limitations to Prostate Cancer Screening in a Rural Community.’

The four-day conference was held Sept. 29- Oct. 3 at the Maritim Hotel in Ulm.

The thesis, which Myatt presented on Sept. 30, was her thesis for the master of science degree in nursing from West Texas A&M University. Myatt’s thesis won the annual ‘Best Thesis Award’ at West Texas A&M University in December 2003. Myatt’s advisor at the time was Barbara Biehler. She was awarded ‘Best Advisor’ by West Texas A&M University in 2003 for the leadership she gave Myatt throughout her thesis research.

Myatt’s thesis is based on a grand nursing theory, which was written by Dorothea Orem. The risk of cancer is a national health concern. Even though prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, many men do not recognize the need to consider participation in prostate cancer screening. The purpose of Myatt’s study was to explore self-care limitations to prostate cancer screening in a rural community. Therefore, Myatt developed a survey and asked participants throughout the Levelland area to fill it out. She tried to figure out what the perceived barriers to prostate cancer screening for men are.

She found the top five perceived barriers to be: “put it off,” “have to wait too long (at doctor’s office),” “doctor hours not convenient,” “costs too much (even though the screening admission is free), and “no insurance coverage.” It took Myatt almost two years to complete her thesis.

When Myatt received the invitation to attend the Congress, she was excited to go.
Myatt said, “I was thrilled to go there. It was my first trip out of the country, and my first real conference.”

A small group of doctors and nurse from West Texas A&M went to Germany as well. Among them was Dr. Heidi Tayler, dean at West Texas A&M University.

Myatt described the trip to Germany as “a lot of fun.” She added, “It was great to have this little group. Dr. Heidi Tayler and Barbara Biehler both speak and understand German, which helped a lot.”

Myatt even got to travel a bit. She visited Schloss Neuschwanstein, which is a beautiful castle about 140 miles southwest of Munich. She later went to Munich, where she got to experience the famous annual ‘Oktoberfest.’ Myatt said she would love to go back and “could become European in a heart beat.” “People actually walk almost everywhere,” she said “Germans walk a lot. I loved it.”

Myatt also enjoyed the German kitchen. But after returning back home, she craved some real American Fast Food.