6-30-09

The clinical experience has been amazing in Panama. Today was our second day in the clinic. The nurses here are so sweet and helpful. They really take their time and show you things step by step. They also, want us to experience the culture here. Our preceptor went out and bought us local bread, candy and souvenirs. I also, have received a lot of practice with immunizations. We went to the local police department and vaccinated a hundred police officers.

On our way home

Well the three weeks are up! Its been an amazing experience and we have seen and learned so much! I'm sure that we will all remember this experience for the rest of our lives! This past week we visited a clinic in Panama city, the mental health institute, Panama's biggest and "best" hospital Santo Thomas and the children hospital. While it was very sad in some parts of the children's hospital, the care they provided was phenomenal. The technology at the hospital was some of the best in Panama. We had our last dinner at an amazing restaurant on the Causeway last night. Now its time to leave this beautiful county and take our experiences back to the US. Speaking for myself, this experience has expanded my views of nursing and of the world. This trip has prepared me to be an even more well-rounded nurse and given me an amazing understanding of community nursing.

Our last day

We are leaving Panama today and I am more excited then ever to go back home. I look back on this trip and I am so happy that I took this opportunity. I have memories to last a lifetime and have made new friends. This trip was fun, hard, full of experiences, and crazy all at the same time. Learning about a whole new culture was really great for me and I found the Panamanian culture interesting. I am proud of myself for surviving this trip and I took many new opportunities that I would have never taken if I were in America. I gained many new experiences that I don't think I may ever get to experience as a nurse in the U.S. I am also proud of myself for getting through the language barrier. I learned new spanish words that I hope will help me as a nurse if I ever have a spanish-speaking patient. I am happy I went to Panama and I now have many great moments and experiences to look back on and smile.

Our last week

The last week in panama was full of observations and great experiences! We toured the St. Thomas hospital which was very impressive. We go to see the ICU along with other units. After we toured we went to the maternity unit dressed down into srcubs and went towards the birthing center. It was very different to see all the women in labor were all stationed in the same room until they are moved to a private delivery room to give birth. After we got to see the area where the newborn babies are taken to recieve care until the mother leaves the delivery room and moves to recovery. We all got to see the children's hospital and the oncology institute. We also went and visited the U.S. Embassy and was presented a very informative session about the roles of the US Embassy in Panama.

Today we are leaving for the airport and I am kinda sad to leave. These three weeks have been some of the best weeks ever. I learned so many new skills and had so many great experiences. I'm going to miss spending everywaking moment with my villa mates!!

Looking back at Panama

Wow, were to begin... when I first planned to come on this trip I couldn't have imagined how amazing it would be. Looking back now through my pictures I cant believe how much we all saw! Out of the gate things weren't looking so good when we stayed an unexpected night in Miami. But, getting through the rough spots with airlines, bugs, and ranchos were totally worth it and made our group strong. The ability to adjust to the elements of the trip was a great oppurtunity to practice patience and teamwork. Things I didn't realize I would work on during this trip but was a great aspect of it!! I am thankful for the other girls on the trip being with them made it easier to get through the rough spots on the trip and really fun to explore. The Chitre clinics and El Valle were definitely the highlights of the trip for me. The Chitre clinics were humble but they proved that anything can be done even if you have limited staff and resources. These small clinics saw hundreds of people and provided them with healthcare with a smile on there face, even with no air conditioning in some areas of the clinic. They were hard working and welcoming to all students. It really inspired me to always have a smile on my face and to try new thing, my confidence in my skills was greatly increased by their constant enthuiasm. I couldn't be more thankful for that part of the trip. I know it will always influence my nursing practice. El Valle was a great retreat after a week on long days in Chitre. The valley town in the clouds let us all relax. Day one was amazing with a walk to the spring and a relaxing mud mask and dip in the warm water. Day two was high energy as we hiked and ziplined through the mountains and over a waterfall! I of course wish for more time there but am so happy for the time we did get. Leaving was hard but getting to the City of Knowledge was a nice familiarity. Kaley and I closed our trip a few days early but I think we made the most of it! I am thankful I didnt have to miss out on the entire trip due to scheduling conflicts! Thank you Panama and all the people there that supported our program!

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.

Last day in Panama

The final day in Panama is here. This has been an unbelievable experience. Before this journey I never imaged living in another country for three weeks and receiving course credits for it. I can honestly say that this has been my first one in a lifetime opportunity. Panama is such a beautiful green country, even though some areas were succumbed by mounds of roadside trash. But the mountains in Elle Valle were the most beautiful scenic place that I have ever seen, the mountains in Colorado do not even compare. The Panamanian people that I had the honor of meeting on this trip have been very welcoming with very vivid and spunky personalities. This experience has not only provided me with these unforgettable memories but also has advanced my clinical nursing skills such as giving injections, height weight, and performing pap smears. I would have never been able to perform a pap smear in an undergraduate nursing program within the United States, only at the graduate level. Exposure to the pediatric and labor and delivery area in the hospital has been beneficial since I will be enrolled in those courses the first half of this upcoming semester. Witnessing the labor process and seeing firsthand the intensity of the pain the mothers be going through was a learning experience within itself. Even though I did not see a delivery up close I did witness the cutting of the umbilical cord from the hallway which I enjoyed every moment of it. Overall this has been a fun filled yet education experience. I’ve learned so much about the Panamanian healthcare system which is similar but also has pronounced differences from the US healthcare system. The UP faculty and nursing students were accepting and made me feel as if I would always be welcome there if I decided to come back to Panama, a thought that has crossed my mind in terms of volunteering in the Peace Corp. The real world awaits me when I get back to the states a guess that’s all a part of life, mostly hard work and some leisure time. The best twenty-one days of my life thus far.