New grad volunteer in South Africa

Blackheartednurse · Nov 19, 2010

Just becareful of Malaria and other diseases!!

nurse2033, MSN, RN · Nov 19, 2010

Sounds awesome! I think that would significantly boost your resume. Just follow all reasonable safety precautions. Do your homework. The US State department has information on safety. I've read the South Africa has one of the highest incidence of rape in the world. I have no idea if that is urban based or what. I got robbed at machete-point on a volunteer trip to Nicaragua and it really sucked. I'm not trying to scare you, just make sure you pay attention. Not all nations have the reliable and effective police that we have here. Good luck!

GHGoonette, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2010

Thank you, everybody!
Just a note: From what I hear, we're going be in a relatively rural area. We're landing in Johannasburg which I'm certain is pretty industrialized, but I'm not sure of where/how far we're going to travel from there. THank you so much for all the encouragement!

:lol2: Yes, Johannesburg is "pretty industrialized"; both my kids live there, so I get to visit them once a year-I live 1500km away, in Cape Town. Can you remember the name of the area where you'll be working? Up that way it might be Mpumelanga or Limpopo, and malaria is a problem up there, although not as prevalent as further north. Another one is a water-borne condition called bilharzia, which is carried by a water snail. Don't go swimming in streams and river pools! There have also been outbreaks of cholera in rural areas, where safe water supply is a problem. The same kind of health issues apply to KwaZulu-Natal, much of which is also semi-tropical.

There has been a recent rabies outbreak in the Gauteng region (that's where Jo'burg is), so make sure your shots are up to date.

South Africa is an amazing country, with amazing people, but there is an element of indiscipline and lawlessness which is making life difficult for the rest of us. The huge divide between the "haves" and the "have nots" is frequently blamed for it, but is not exclusively the problem; much of it is just plain greed. You will drive past mansions and lovely homes with beautiful gardens, and a few kms away you'll find a squatter camp. Truly a country of extremes.

If you are interested in visiting the townships, please do so with a recognized tour group. The experience is unforgettable, but there have been some unpleasant incidents involving unwary tourists, one of which is currently splashed over international news (particularly tragic.)

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have regarding the area where you will be working-I'll try and get some up-to-date info for you. Good luck, and have a great time!

Christine :)

FrogKissingNurse · Nov 19, 2010

wow this sounds amazing! it would be a great experience. have a wonderful time and stay safe!

how does one go about getting connected with a group doing this type of stuff?

GHGoonette, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2010

wow this sounds amazing! it would be a great experience. have a wonderful time and stay safe!
how does one go about getting connected with a group doing this type of stuff?

i'm not particularly clued up as regards the various volunteer groups in rural areas, but if you're qualified you could approach the red cross, there is a large childrens hospital in cape town. i think the dominicans are still doing mission work here, as well as the salvation army. any one of them should be able to point you in the right direction.

you could also approach the south african embassy; you'll have to make inquiries there to find out where it is, i have no idea which city they're located in.

banannie · Nov 19, 2010

I participated in a global health program through Child Family Health International. I interned in a children's hospital in La Paz, Bolivia for a month. During that time I got to sit in on Grand Rounds, lectures, and I had 30 hours of medical/conversational Spanish lessons. Being a new grad I did not do anything too clinical other than assessments and administer a couple p.o. meds. I absolutely loved it and the country of Bolivia is beautiful. Working/volunteering abroad really increases your cultural sensitivity. CFHI has programs in other countries as well such as Mexico, South Africa, India, and Ecuador.

lovely21 · Nov 30, 2010

Hello, all! I've been a follower for some time now, and I thought I would post my first thread to ask for some advice/opinions.
I graduated last year with my ADN, got my RN license in July 2009, and went straight into a RN-to-BSN program. I will be done in December of this year. As we all know, the job market for new grads is not ideal right now. I've been applying to places (hospitals, LTC, etc) for almost 6 months now, and I've had only one interview.
I've always wanted to volunteer in a third world country, but the opportunity never came up. Either that, or I was afraid to go by myself =] THe chance finally came up as my sister and her friend (both who are RNs) are traveling to South Africa to volunteer at a mobile clinic/orphanage. After consulting with my parents and my sister, I decided I would tag along with them. They are going for 3 weeks, but I'll be extending my stay to 3 months. 89 days to be exact. We leave in January, so from now until then, I've put my job hunt on a pause.
I'm hoping that when I get back from this 3 month trip, my resume will look much more marketable to recruiters and managers. What are your opinions? Granted, I don't expect my phone to be ringing off the hook when I get back. But I'm wondering if this will give me a leg up when applying to those programs with 1,000 other applicants. Thanks so much!
By the way, that is not the only reason why I decided to go. This is a trip of a lifetime, and I will definitely regret it if I don't go.

Would you be willing on sharing how you learned of this opportunity and if there are any more openings? I am also a new grad RN and am looking for a volunteer opportunity abroad

GHGoonette, BSN, RN · Nov 30, 2010

Would you be willing on sharing how you learned of this opportunity and if there are any more openings? I am also a new grad RN and am looking for a volunteer opportunity abroad

Try googling Mission South Africa-part of the Mission Blog (I think that's what it's called). The local contacts are Dean and Paula Finnie, in Somerset West.

I also picked up this link:

nursing Volunteer Work Abroad: International Volunteering Opportunities at GoAbroad.com

Happy hunting! I answered this because one of the other posters asked the same question, and as far as I know, the OP didn't respond.

RNlivy · Nov 30, 2010

Sorry for the late respoonse! I read the posts awhile ago but never got around to answering.

I was able to find out more information about my trip, thank goodness! I will be in the KZN area (Kwazulu-natal?). I think she said Winterton/Loskop. Knowing this information definitely makes the trip seem more real. (THank you, GHGoonette, for all the information!)

My sister's friend, who is an RN at Lucille-Packard Children's, has a coworker who started up a mobile clinic/orphanage overseas. That is the main reason I was able to find out about this opportunity. If you google Dreams for Africa, there is a link that shows what she does over there, a blog, and a few pictures. As far as I know, they are very accommodating to whoever will take time to help out over there. I'm not sure if there are other volunteers that are already there, but I'm not going with a big group. It will only be me, my sister, and her friend who will be traveling over there.

On another note, my friend sent me a link after he found out I was going to South Africa about the incidence of rape. VERY scary. Hmm, I can't find the link anymore. But the article pretty much says that 1 in 3 South African men have commited rape. The article goes into much more detail, let's just say that none of them are very pretty =T

GHGoonette, BSN, RN · Dec 1, 2010

Sorry for the late respoonse! I read the posts awhile ago but never got around to answering.
I was able to find out more information about my trip, thank goodness! I will be in the KZN area (Kwazulu-natal?). I think she said Winterton/Loskop. Knowing this information definitely makes the trip seem more real. (THank you, GHGoonette, for all the information!)
My sister's friend, who is an RN at Lucille-Packard Children's, has a coworker who started up a mobile clinic/orphanage overseas. That is the main reason I was able to find out about this opportunity. If you google Dreams for Africa, there is a link that shows what she does over there, a blog, and a few pictures. As far as I know, they are very accommodating to whoever will take time to help out over there. I'm not sure if there are other volunteers that are already there, but I'm not going with a big group. It will only be me, my sister, and her friend who will be traveling over there.
On another note, my friend sent me a link after he found out I was going to South Africa about the incidence of rape. VERY scary. Hmm, I can't find the link anymore. But the article pretty much says that 1 in 3 South African men have commited rape. The article goes into much more detail, let's just say that none of them are very pretty =T

Here are a couple of links for Winterton:

Tourist info...

http://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDEQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drakensberg-tourism.com%2Fwinterton.html&ei=n8D1TIfPCoS8lQe-paG1BQ&usg=AFQjCNGBfAgcVIh3TQnt9P1KtLMIY59Ulg&sig2=wrkggPvM9s4Vsk-j8Od1Mw

Maps And other info...

Maps, Weather, Videos, and Airports for Winterton, South Africa

And Loskop...(the name means "forgetful" or scatterbrained lol)

Loskop Map | South Africa Google Satellite Maps

You'll see Loskop is not very far from Winterton. Lucky you, it's a stunningly beautiful area! I was last in Kwazulu-Natal back in 1966, and I've never even visited the Drakensberg (Dragon Mountains). Heaven only knows why not... :rolleyes:

Yes, rape is a terrible fact of life in South Africa, and the sociologists and psychologists are still trying to work out why. However, not every South African man is a slavering rapist! Just follow the basic rules of safety and common sense and you'll be fine. Never go off by yourselves, stick with your group. Never drink alcohol (or in that part of the world, smoke funny cigarettes!) with strangers (KZN is renowned for the high quality of its "ganja" :smokin: ). Don't go off for walks by yourselves, and if you decide to rent a car, listen closely to safety and security rules-hijackings are very common.

I always bear in mind that most people are just like me, all they want is to make a living, give their children a better chance than they had in life and get on with their fellow humans, but the wolves are out there and we sheep must stick close together!

You'll probably be dealing a lot with AIDS sufferers and orphans. KZN has a very high incidence of HIV infection, so don't ever forget your standard precautions!

Florenc · Jul 5, 2011

Hey there!
Having done some work abroad, I thin kthis would be wonderful for you! Go for it! I would say, though, that it is important to know what the expectations of you will be, it's easy to get in over your head fast. Inquire what leadership hierarchies are in place, what you'll be doing, and find out you can best prepare. Best of luck!

HearticultureRN:

I am about to graduate from a BSN nursing program in December and am desperate for work abroad. I am from the US and have tried to look up work requirements for the UK, Canada and Australia but am interested in all countries. I noticed that you have worked abroad - where have you worked, and when? Were you able to get a job, or was it volunteering? Did you do this work right out of college or did you wait and have a year of hospital experience in the US first? Many thanks.

LuxCalidaNP · Jul 5, 2011

Hi! So I worked abroad before going to nursing school with 2 groups, 1 clinic in Ecuador working with Hansen's disease, and another primary care clinic in rural Nicaragua, both profound experiences that changed my life! There was an opportunity to volunteer with the latter group, but I found a fantastic job in a HUGE FQHC in northern California, so alas, I could not take the volunteer position.

I'll be blunt...The sense I get is that it is hard as a new graduate to find work abroad without experience...heck it's painful to try to find it here in the US. Some countries, like NZ, are hurting for help and do have sign-on bonuses for what is mostly rural care (where experience REALLY helps). HOWEVER, many new grads are getting SOME experience by volunteering for NGOs, community clinics, brigades, etc.

Again, treating folks in the boon-docks of a different country, with a different culture, and usually language barriers is about the steepest learning curve you can ask for...but it grows you FAST! It takes a special person, fierce, tenacious, and wicked-smart.

Furthermore, many nurse managers might question the up-to-date-ness of skills utilized in the back-country or third world...BUT!

...personall, if I were a manager of a unit/clinic, and this eager, B@11sy and adventurous new clinician with diverse experience applied, I would personally be SUPER impressed that they signed up for such a challenge and emerged having gained something. They would be much more appealing to me than the person who did requesite LTC or flu shot clinics.

I hope this helps! I still have dreams of, before my MSN, taking off with MSF for a year or working for some other awesome NGO. BEST OF LUCK!!!