Medical Missions Trips?

Nurses General Nursing

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KatieBell

875 Posts

I have served as a RN in Nicaragua, Eritrea, Panama, Nigeria, Liberia and Sudan. I will say that I am now less in favor of the two week trip where medication is handed out and more in favor of the long term projects established by Catholic medical Mission Board, Catholic Relief services, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Medecins Du Monde and the IRC. But most people are not entirely willing to commit to longer than two weeks. Of the two weeks programs those that teach (We did a fundamentals of critical care class in Eritrea) in my opinion are the ones that have a huge impact.

KatieBell

875 Posts

Glad to help- I did two trips with them: both surgical- but since we had some PA's with up they set up and did some general medical consultations. If you PM me your email I can send you some photos.

Another organization through Washington DC that is very strong is Physicians for Peace. Theya re not religious based, which does make it easier for them to work in many different countries.

I really encourage everyone to do medical work overseas, and sometimes I seem cranky about it, but I think that comes from the year I spent trying to get enough water for refugees, wondering if the plane was going to come with appropriate theraputic foods, and trying to manage the interesting staff members I was given to work with... It was stressful, and I am still stressed by it, but recently I've started to think about going back...3 months I've been in the states, so I guess I am getting ready again...I'm trying to get TNCC instructor certified so I can teach it in Eritrea...but as a traveler getting that certification is difficult.

LanaBanana

1,007 Posts

Specializes in Level III cardiac/telemetry.

My dad recently started up a medical mission trip to El Salvador. The first trip was this past June and from what I've heard, it was amazing. He made a follow-up visit 3 weeks ago to plan for next summer's trip which will be for 3 weeks instead of 1 because of the need. He is not in the medical field, but is quickly learning what the needs of the people are. He's asked me to help him locate equipment/supplies donations for the mission and a new rural health clinic that is being established about 2 hours away from LaPalma, which is where they do the clinic during the trip. I know that solicitation isn't allowed on the board, but I was wondering if anybody knows where to find donated supplies and eqpt? I know that hospitals and clinics usually donate their stuff when they upgrade but does anybody know of an agency that collects all of it for distribution? I've posted a couple of messages on a local trading group and a few people have responded with old stethoscopes, which are definately needed, but we're also trying to get bigger things like autoclaves, nebulizers, exam tables, gyno exam table, dental chair, glucometers, scales, etc. Any ideas for where to look? Working condition is preferred, but if minor repairs are necessary that might be possible. My dad said last year a local doctor located 2 nebulizers in the area but neither one worked and they ended up transporting a woman 3 hours in the back of a flat-bed truck to get her some treatments. Can you imagine!? Think how much complaining there is here for a 3 hour wait in the ER, when there's a comfortable chair or bed, a TV to watch, heating or air conditioning, etc.

I was really hoping to go on the trip this coming year because now I have my phlebotomy certification and nurses aid certification but need to take a class this summer and can't miss that many days. By 2007 I will have completed the LPN program though and will be going then if I can get off work.

arelle

5 Posts

people who are willing to share their talents and TIME to go to the mission field are just so ADMIRABLE! God will richly bless you as you take the time and the risk...do keep it up.. A lot of hurting people out there are in need and you are responding..thats AWESOME.

To all who went and going! God's favor be with you!

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rfoxfillmer

2 Posts

sunnyjohn said:
Hi guys,

A friend of mine sent this to me today. I met when we were tikes during my parents days travelling the world. Her parents were missionaries. I was nodding my head 'cause so many of them fit.

Enjoy

-----------------

YOU KNOW YOU'RE A MISSIONARY KID WHEN...

You can't answer the question, "Where are you from?"

You speak two languages, but can't spell either.

You flew before you could walk.

You embarrass yourself by asking what swear words mean.

You have a passport, but no driver's license.

You watch National Geographic specials and recognise

someone.

You have a time zone map next to your telephone.

You don't know how to play Pac-Man.

You would rather eat seaweed than cafeteria food.

Your life story uses the phrase "Then we went to..." five

times.

You speak to different ethnic groups in their own language.

You think in grams, metres, and litres.

You speak with authority on the quality of airline travel.

You send your family peanut butter and Kool-Aid for

Christmas.

You worry about fitting in, and wear a native wrap around

the dorm.

National Geographic makes you homesick.

You have strong opinions about how to cook bugs.

You live at school, work in the tropics, and go home for

vacation.

You don't know where home is.

Strangers say they can remember you when you were "this

tall."

You have friends from or in 29 different countries.

You do your devotions in another language.

You sort your friends by continent.

You keep dreaming of a green Christmas.

You tell people where you're from, and their eyes get big.

You are grateful for the speed and efficiency of any postal

service.

You realise that furlough is not a vacation.

You wince when people mispronounce foreign words.

You've spoken in dozens of churches, but aren't a pastor.

Furlough means that you are stuffed every night... and have

to eat it all to seem polite.

Your parents decline your cousin's offer to let them use his

BMW, and stuff all six of you into an old VW Beetle instead.

You stockpile mangoes.

You know what REAL coffee tastes like.

The majority of your friends don't speak English as a first

language.

Someone brings up the name of a team, and you get the sport

wrong.

You believe vehemently that football is played with a round,

spotted ball.

You know there is no such thing as an international

language.

You know the difference between patriotism and nationalism.

You realise what a small world it is, after all.

You never take anything for granted.

You watch a movie set in a foreign country, and you know

what the nationals are REALLY saying into the camera.

You know how to pack.

All preaching sounds better under a corrugated tin roof.

Having four distinct seasons other than: dry, very dry,

rainy, very rainy, is a new experience.

After a couple of years in one spotm, you're ready to move

again.

You frequently say, "I don't know, I was out of the

country."

You feel uncomfortable in school without a uniform.

School gets cancelled due to flash flooding.

Tropical fruits aren't imported.

Walking miles to and from school is "normal."

If someone asks what school you went to, you reply, "depends

on the year."

You are afraid to ask what you are eating. But munch away,

with a smile on your face.

Too funny! this fits my kids perfectly. After six years they have been to ten countries and are quite comfy speaking Chinese. I love it! rfoxfillmer

Hello, I would like to talk with nurses who have gone to Central America....my husband is a pilot and I am a RN...we have a five year old. We want to go in to missions....

Hello, I went to Goma Zaire, in 1994 during the war in Rawanda. It was fantastic. The organizations I was most impresed with were, Dr's Without Borders and the private churches. I cannot recall their names...Also I was very impressed with what the Catholic church was doing. The most frustrating thing for me was getting supplies. Children would die for lack of meds that were available but we could not get because of politics. This trip lest a hige impact on my life. The 700 Club had some very great teams also...........do not go with a government team if you wish to evangelize and stay away from the politics........

missy2b

29 Posts

I've been to Ecuador, central Mexico, Senegal, Mali x2, and Peru x2. I went with my local church through the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptists and in, Peru, through an independent self-supporting ministry (http://www.villamilagro.net)

missy2b

29 Posts

missy2b said:
I've been to Ecuador, central Mexico, Senegal, Mali x2, and Peru x2. I went with my local church through the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptists and in, Peru, through an independent self-supporting ministry (www.villamilagro.net)

Oops, didn't mean to send that. Anyway, I have played the role of a medical assistant doing vitals before they saw the doc, a triage RN, a phamacist, a nurse practitioner, a wound care specialist, and a health educator.

And of course, I have also been entertainment. I have played chase and soccer, I have danced under the stars, and I have been to second base with African women who were unaccustomed to white skin and breasts in brassieres. I have eaten mysterious things and squatted to go to the bathroom while curious brown faces watched to see if I was white on the bottom, too.

All you have to do is be willing. Everyone has something to give, and nursing experience is a big something.

Blessings on the journey!

person123

1 Post

I just want to encourage anyone considering medical missions to consider doing it. I have done several trips to Asia and one trip to South America. It ican be a lot of hard work but very rewarding at the same time.

blueyesue

566 Posts

Backwoodsmommy said:
Hello, I would like to talk with nurses who have gone to Central America....my husband is a pilot and I am a RN...we have a five year old. We want to go in to missions....

I have never been to Central America, but here is an organization that works there: http://www.christianmedical.org/

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