Would You Go To Haiti To Help?????

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · Jan 15, 2010

Many humanitarian aid organizations will support you in going to disaster areas.
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Society has a long list of signatories on it's code of conduct. Those are usually the best ones to go to.
Charity Navigator has an excellent site which shows quality non-profit organizations to know which ones are using your donations the best. I only donate to 4-star charities since I know firsthand how difficult it is to achieve that rating.
One thing you should NOT do is simply pick up and go there yourself.
A lot of people did that during Katrina and it ended up making a big mess, there was a great deal of chaos ensuing because of this problem.
You should definitely be affiliated with an organization before you go so that you can have them to back you up if something happens.

None of the nurses and doctors I work with would just get up and go. You have to be trained for disaster situations. In my home state, I had to take training and the verified my credentials before I was put on the list.

Most employers won't give you time off unless you are going with a verified group, and your have to be approved before landing.

Hushdawg · Jan 16, 2010

Most employers won't give you time off unless you are going with a verified group, and your have to be approved before landing.

Any supervisor that would be cold and callous enough not to allow a week off to assist in some sort of crisis is someone I would never want to work for or with.

The approval before landing is precisely why I said nobody should pick up and go on their own.

One of the organizations I used to work with, The Zakat Foundation of America, is leaving for Hati tonight.

http://www.thezakat.org can give you more details on the activities they will do.

You can call their Chicago office directly and donate or volunteer.

They are 4-star rated by Charity Navigator, signatories of the International Red Cross/Red Crescent Code of Conduct and are recognized by the UN. They don't come much better than this group of people.

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · Jan 16, 2010

Any supervisor that would be cold and callous enough not to allow a week off to assist in some sort of crisis is someone I would never want to work for or with.
Please re read my post, an employed nurse would have to show they are part of an organized relief effort. Many hospitals train nurses for disaster nursing they should be the first responders, they should be the ones who should be deployed.
As a mentioned before , my state providers disaster training for free, you must a test and have your clinical skills verified.
When are you going to assist ? Is your employer going to continue to pay you?

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · Jan 17, 2010

If I was out of school and actually working as a nurse, you bet, I would be down there in a heartbeat working with an organization to help provide medical care. I've always wanted to go to Haiti in an overseas mission to help people there and now that there was a major disaster, they need help more than ever. For now, I've given as much money as I can and hope that it will help a little. When I'm a nurse, you bet, I will do as many overseas missions as I can!

Hi CaleMommy,

Since you are still in school, the general policy is you have to take a first responders/disaster training program to be of help. I admire you for wanting to assist, but until you have ER, first responder credentials, and disaster training you nursing skills will be best used at home.

egarr111 · Mar 12, 2011

I am an RN and would like to go to Japan to help out. How would I go about doing that?

Kauaigirl808 · Mar 12, 2011

I am also looking to go to Japan to volunteer. If anyone hears of anything for RNs, please let me know.

RNpatterson · Jan 7, 2012

I volunteered in Haiti this summer and it was the best decision I ever made. I went through Project Medishare For Haiti - Saving Lives, Rebuilding Hope | Project Medishare if anyone is interested. It's a great organization and I highly recommend going!

MandaRN94 · Jan 9, 2012

Hi -musician's wife. I would love to hear about your experience with Project Medishare. I have a volunteer trip planned in March to Nicaragua with Medico and would love to volunteer in Haiti also. Can you PM me about your experience?

RNpatterson · Jan 14, 2012

It was a fantastic experience! We worked at the Hospital Bernard Mevs in Port Au Prince. It is a fully operating hospital with an ER, Med-Surg, peds unit, NICU, adult ICU, operating rooms, pharmacy, and a lab. I use some of these terms loosely, though because it's what you would expect in a devastated nation like Haiti. Equipment is old and doesn't always work. At one point we were running dangerously short on gloves and we did run out of alcohol swabs. The power cuts out many times throughout the day and none of the equipment (the few pieces we had) would run on battery. It's hot, dirty, stinky, exhausting, frustrating, and everyone is at risk for the dreaded GI upset. It can be a little risky at times but what third-world volunteering isn't? I would by lying if I said I felt safe 100% of the time. I did feel safe 100% of the time when I was at the hospital. Leaving the hospital can be quite an adventure, though (always in groups). Yet was one of the best experiences of my life.

We got to practice some really cool MacGyver-style nursing (i.e. my friend made an NG tube out of a straight cath for a neonate and we turned 60cc syringes into breast pumps). I was humbled by the love and devotion of Haitian families. They bathe, feed, clothe, and take care of the bedpan/toileting for their loved ones - something we never see in the adult world in our hospitals. I made friends with many of the Haitian nurses even though most of them don't speak any English. There are nightly trips to the UN where they have some of the best pizza and beer you'll ever have (or at least at the time you'll think it is) and you'll learn to appreciate what we take for granted in the states. I'm planning on going back next winter.

RNpatterson · Jan 14, 2012

I have a volunteer trip planned in March to Nicaragua with Medico and would love to volunteer in Haiti also.

Be sure to tell us all about your trip when you come back! What kind of nursing will you be doing?

MandaRN94 · Jan 14, 2012

Sounds like a great experience. Do you recommend the organization you worked with. I know some can be sketchy but Project Medishare sounds very professional. Thank you for sharing your adventure!

Sand_Dollar, BSN · Jan 15, 2012

I can't do much for Haiti right now, but I can do something at home. I recently signed up to volunteer with the Red Cross, especially disaster relief. Maybe I can help someone a little closer to home. And, I might have connections later to go to someplace else when a large disaster hits.