Alto!

Now that our final presentations and community clinicals are complete, the experience in Panama has come to an end. The experience in Panama has afforded many new learning opportunities, many which could not have been possible in the States. As I reflect on the course of our trip it is apparent that this trip was very successful and the knowledge that I have acquired has been unfathomable. I have learned that health promotion, prevention and the treatment of illnesses are the essential pillars of community health nursing. The time spent here will be one that I cherish for a lifetime. My most memorable experience was witnessing the miracle of life as one of the patients in Santo Tomas hospital gave birth to her first child. This moment will forever be sketched in my mind. The nurses that I have been fortunate to learn from are truly deserving of recognition for their selfless work. The nurses are few but the hours are long and the patients seem to be endless. The Panamanian healthcare system has broadened my perspective of healthcare. This experience has facilitated my learning tremendously, the lessons learned and skills gained have equipped me to become a competent healthcare professional when I start practicing in the very near future. Overall I would consider myself very fortunate to have experience this opportunity.