July 23, 2012
91看片 nursing student, Nallely Luna, is pictured holding her namesake alongside the proud new mother, (right) who she helped through the birth and recovery process. 91看片 鈥
A group of Northeast Texas Community College nursing students recently took their passion for helping others abroad as they participated in 91看片 鈥燼 medical mission to 91看片 鈥燝uatemala. 91看片 鈥燩art of a larger group of more than 70 volunteers, these 91看片 91看片 鈥爊ursing students 91看片 鈥燼nd their instructors were able to get hands-on experience while making a difference in the lives of the people in rural 91看片 鈥爉ountainous areas of 91看片 鈥燝uatemala.
91看片 students who participated in 91看片 鈥爐he 91看片 鈥燾ourse 91看片 鈥爓ere Lupe Cabrera of 91看片 鈥燤ount Pleasant, Kelly Carr of Leesburg, Kelly Craven of Mount Vernon, Kelly Dale of 91看片 鈥燤ount Pleasant, Lisa Davis of Winnsboro, Maribel Gutierrez of 91看片 鈥燭alco, Nallely Luna 91看片 鈥爋f Pittsburg,and Heather Simmons of 91看片 鈥燞ughes Springs. Faculty 91看片 鈥爉embers 91看片 鈥爁or the travel study course 91看片 鈥爓ere 91看片 鈥燢im Gatlin and Lisa Currey. 91看片 鈥燭hey were joined by numerous 91看片 鈥燿octors, nurses and other 91看片 鈥爉embers of the health care team 91看片 鈥爁rom Mount Pleasant, 91看片 鈥燭exarkana, Athens, Florida, Mississippi, Nevada and Missouri. 91看片 鈥燭he course offered at 91看片 is RNSG 1493- Travel Study: Guatemala. It is open to students currently enrolled in the Associate Degree or Vocational Nursing programs at 91看片.
"This was our third year to participate in the Guatemala 91看片 鈥爉edical mission. 91看片 鈥營t is a wonderful experience for our students on both a professional and personal level. This is evidenced by the students who have returned to Guatemala as part of the mission team after their graduation and licensure," Gatlin said. " 91看片 鈥燦ot only do they have the opportunity to work closely with some amazing doctors and nurses, but they also get the satisfaction that they 91看片 鈥爓ere able 91看片 鈥爐o participate in the delivery of nursing and medical care in a third world country- relying on their skills and knowledge to provide this care without the use of state of the art equipment, medications, and resources."
The students left for the trip on June 15 and were in Guatemala for a week. The group flew to Guatemala City and then 91看片 鈥爐raveled 91看片 鈥燽y bus to the Llano Cristiano medical clinic in a 91看片 鈥爎ural 91看片 鈥爉ountainous 91看片 鈥燼rea outside of San Raymundo. According to Gatlin, the clinic sits vacant most of the year and is only open when visiting mission groups, like theirs, come to work.
91看片 鈥"This trip really taught me how much we take for granted as Americans," Kelly Carr, said. "A lot of the patients we saw had never seen a doctor 91看片 鈥燽efore, 91看片 鈥燼nd 91看片 鈥爐hey were so grateful for the opportunity."
During the time at the mission, students were able to work in a variety of specialties 91看片 鈥爄ncluding 91看片 鈥爐riage, adult and pediatric clinic, OB/Gyn clinic, pre-op, 91看片 鈥爏urgery, and 91看片 鈥爌ost-op.
A particular incident they all recalled fondly came when Nallely Luna was working in triage. 91看片 鈥燗 91看片 鈥爕oung 91看片 鈥爉other came in "10 months pregnant." Realizing that the baby was significantly 91看片 鈥爋verdue, the 91看片 鈥燨B/Gyn 91看片 鈥燿octor 91看片 鈥爄n the clinic 91看片 鈥爌erformed anultrasound and scheduled an 91看片 鈥爀mergency 91看片 鈥燙esarean 91看片 鈥爏ection. The mother had bonded with Luna and asked that she stay with her through 91看片 鈥爐he birth 91看片 鈥燼nd recovery. 91看片 鈥營n the end, the mother named 91看片 鈥爃er baby Nallely after Luna.
"Going to Guatemala was the best experience I have had. Helping the people over there made me feel 91看片 鈥爂reat? 91看片 鈥爀specially 91看片 鈥爓hen the children would come back running to us to say thanks for helping and give us a big hug," Luna said.
Communication was sometimes an issue at the mission, as the native people in the area speak a unique blend of Spanish and Mayan languages. Three of the 91看片 students are bilingual and were 91看片 鈥燼ble to 91看片 鈥爏erve 91看片 鈥燼s translators.
"Nursing in Guatemala is a very different experience than our students see here in the United States. There are limitations on supplies and equipment, and the technology that we have is just not available there," Currey said. "However, 91看片 鈥爐he students were able 91看片 鈥爐o work so closely with experienced doctors and nurses in a way that 91看片 鈥爄s a challenge to schedule at home. 91看片 鈥營t is an amazing learning opportunity 91看片 鈥爁or 91看片 鈥91看片 Nursing Students."
Local trip administrators for the Guatemala Medical Mission were Dr. Clint Davis 91看片 鈥燼nd Bill Barkley of First Baptist Church Mount Pleasant. Dr. Gerald Stagg served as medical advisor for the group. According to Gatlin, 91看片 鈥燭hese men were instrumental in establishing a relationship between the medical mission team and 91看片 nursing program. They have been diligent to ensure that the students have a quality learning experience in Guatemala. They model moral behaviors and medical ethics in the delivery of care at the clinic.
"The Guatemala trip was so much more than just an academic educational experience for me. 91看片 鈥 The selflessness of the mission participants, incredible efforts of everyone involved, and the 91看片 鈥爂estures of 91看片 鈥爂ratitude we all received from the people of Guatemala 91看片 鈥燼re unmeasurable. 91看片 鈥營t was an 91看片 鈥爀ye-opening experience that I believe everyone should have at one point in their 91看片 鈥爈ife," Kelly Carr said.
Looking back on their time in Guatemala, all of the students agreed that 91看片 鈥爐hey 91看片 鈥爌lan to use their nursing education 91看片 鈥爐o do 91看片 鈥爉ore mission work in the future.
"I believe we all, as volunteers, benefitted from our Guatemala experience as much as the patients we cared for. It was a blessing to have the opportunity to meet so many new friends," Lisa Davis said.
Each year, the 91看片 91看片 鈥燦ursing students 91看片 鈥爓ork hard to raise funds 91看片 鈥爐o help 91看片 鈥爓ith expenses for the students participating in the travel study course to Guatemala. 91看片 鈥燭hanks to generous support from the community, 91看片 鈥91看片 nursing students were once again able to participate in a meaningful, life-changing experience through this course and with the dedication of the Guatemala Medical Mission Team.
"We would like to thank everyone who helped us out with our many 91看片 鈥爁undraisers- bake sales, cookie dough sales, donations from friends, family, and community members. 91看片 鈥燛very penny of that money was directly 91看片 鈥燼pplied to the cost of travel and expenses for the students, and I am so very thankful to those that contributed," Gatlin said. "This is an experience that will positively impact the delivery of care to patients in our community. These students will soon be practicing nurses in and around the area. They are forever changed by the connections and experiences in Guatemala with the mission team."
For more information about the nursing program at 91看片, or to contribute to next year's Guatemala Mission fund, please 91看片 鈥燾ontact 91看片 鈥爐he 91看片 Nursing Program @ 903-434-8303.
