Opportunities to volunteer abroad for students?

[ShelbyaStar]

I'm not quite done with prerequisites, but by the time I really look into this I will be in nursing school.

I started taking prereqs at a university and while there I briefly heard about a short term volunteering program for nursing students in Costa Rica. I was interested, but never got around to learning more and have since transferred to an RN program in another city at a community college.

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this or knows more about it? Will do some research but it's always nice to learn more about these things in a forum format.

[cracklingkraken, ASN, RN]

That sounds promising. Do you know if it's affiliated with a specific organization or school? I thought about doing that perhaps after my first year and, just a heads up if you haven't already, that if you ARE planning to go abroad, you'll have to get immunizations beginning 6 months prior to leaving. I'm not sure if that's a recent thing that's being done or what, but my HCP told me to inform her at least half a year ahead of time if I am planning to go abroad (for select countries, mostly for missions) to check which or if any immunizations need to be administered. However, now that I think of it after that rambling, I'm sure the program would notify you if you need any shots before going.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

Call the nursing schools. In my area there are organizations not associated with the school, but the faculty is aware of them. You might call your church to see if they have medical missions. If there is a clinic serving the underprivileged in your town they may have information on ways to serve locally.

[Stephalump]

Not sure about that trip...Costa Rica doesn't really narrow it down ?

But there are volunteer programs out there. ISL is one of them...our program did a trip to Tanzania through them. Très expensive unless you have a big group that can fundraise together.

[Dranger]

You know there are a myriad of places to volunteer here in the US right? Probably some places right down your street. Plenty of free clinics who needs BPs taken or supplies stocked.

But wait that isn't exotic or interesting enough to post on facebook or instagram. Getting students to go to foreign countries to help people is easy and expensive but trying to get people to help their fellow countrymen? Impossible.

First world problems....

[cracklingkraken, ASN, RN]

^^ Truth. However, for me personally, I like to travel to different parts of the world and interact with people in their everyday lifestyle. I had the privilege of going to Ecuador, for example, and we went to the jungle and I was able to try some really interesting foods, as well as got to speak with some of the people there and learn about their village. They also had some beautiful scenery, and it was overall an unforgettable experience. I think that in the states, it is such a mixture of everything (hello, melting pot!), it's hard to get that same kind of experience. But I do agree that there are places here that do need help. I think there are plenty of people who could contribute and improve the lives of others, but very few people who are willing to.

[ShelbyaStar]

You know there are a myriad of places to volunteer here in the US right? Probably some places right down your street. Plenty of free clinics who needs BPs taken or supplies stocked.

But wait that isn't exotic or interesting enough to post on facebook or instagram. Getting students to go to foreign countries to help people is easy and expensive but trying to get people to help their fellow countrymen? Impossible.

First world problems....

I've never understood this train of thought. While yes there are thousands in this country that need help, the standard of living is such that a person in dire straits is in a much better position here than they would be in a third world country. As long as I am helping someone, who really cares what country they're from? Why is someone from the US more worthy of help than someone from another place?

Philanthropy is rarely 100% altruistic. People do it for attention or experience or, at the very least, to feel good about themselves. I'm not going to pretend this has nothing to do with a desire for experience or travel- but I might as well help others while doing so and I might as well do something that interests me while helping.

Curmudgeons always come out of the woodwork for this kind of thing. A celebrity donates a million and people complain that they could've afforded more. Someone donates to an animal shelter and people complain that starving children in Africa are more important. Someone helps starving children in Africa complains that the children at home are more important. It never ends.

How about the cause and the motive don't really matter, just be glad that people are going out of their way to help others and doing more to make the world a little better than the critics behind the keyboards?

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

Usually, volunteer opportunities organized by schools come under the term "service learning." My school did it on a local, national, and international level. I took part in the local level during my community health class and on the international level as a separate class all together. Student organizations also provide local volunteer opportunities if it's a well-established robust organization. Our SNA volunteered for health fairs, mainly. If there are no opportunities at your school, I suggest that you join your SNA and make your own opportunities. Nursing schools usually encourage the students to take leadership on those types of things.