RunninRN10

WHYYYYY DO you keep telling ppl this????!!!! Please do not believe this. They need all of the help they can get! You can go but go in a group. They do need experienced nurses as well as ppl willing to help. The experience is needed right now with all of the trauma patients, but ppl are also needed to help with other things-- Cleaning wounds, passing out food, assisting with other nurses and MD's do not let ppl tell you this, just search around and find an organization to go with. The worst move you can make is just going there with no organization. they have clinics set up. A friend was just there in Dec and was heading back yesterday until her flight was canceled. she has been in contact with other personell on the ground at Haiti and they NEED ALL OF THE HELP THEY CAN GET! Try and round up a variety of skills. You will want to have some RN's with you as well and even try to get an instructor. But whatever you do do not give up. Haiti will be in need of help months as well as years from now so do not give up and summer will be here before you know it and things will hopefully be more organized. so get talking now but do not let ppl tell you this. because like i mentioned earlier-they still will need help once the cameras leave! Good luck and start your travel planning early it takes a while to get everthing established!

Thank you! My point exactly. There is so much more there to be done besides trauma....and WHEN THE CAMERAS ARE GONE....and much much before the quake hit there have been missions of doctors, nurses, any medical personell, students, and anyone willing to help, so I strongly feel rebuilding Haiti will take one person at a time! And yes there are ways you can help besides in monitary contributions. A time I would suggest is spring break as long as your studies are caught up with and you are able to go. Most organizations do not pay your way so there is a costly amount, but it would be a life changing experience and you are helping in a time of crisis so try to get donations and sponsors. Secondly like I said before- get an organization to go with they have clinics already developed in Haiti and set up- some of which were destroyed, but most have comunication with their organization in the states and supplies and teams are heading out to help. Next is spring break will work for you be sure to start your passport process now and you will need some vaccinations and malaria pills! Good luck and do not EVER let ppl get you down from doing what you feel is right, because there are more ways to help! Good luck and if you do decide to go be safe- there is a lot of violence in Haiti right now out of desperation, so be smart and be aware of your surroundings at all times. Good Luck!

And I do not believe I once indicated that those going to volunteer as Medical Professionals should not be experienced and trained. I strongly agree that they need to be our best. And yes I have had to stand my own with a few Doc's...not fun I agree, but you have to have a backbone as well as a heart in nursing. Sounds a little thin skinned yes....but in reality nursing is more than being rude and blunt....and not worrying about someone's fragile feelings... it is being honest- yet compassionate. So why dont you leave the chewing out of new nurses to the docs because news flash you are not a doctor and talking down to other nurses/ students does not make you a doctor either, so why you seem to be doing so is confusing me. Yes we do need competant, experienced, and dedicated nurses, BUT being disrespectful is a different story. I am not living in la la land either and apparently neither is this student. We are all shaken by this terrible disaster so why the negativity? So what a student wants to help....so be it. Let them do their part too in other ways. You are just so disrespectful to someone who wants to help? It would be very simple to reply in an honest way instead insulting the girl?

au-rn once again i do not mean to question your 8 years of experience but, please do compare your wording to an rn who has had 25 years of expecience....there is a respectful way which includes rational.... ....and then there are your harsh words.... please go ahead and read how she explains herself in a way she is not putting down the student, she is actually explaining why and and why not, and what else there is she can do if she would like to volunteer...other ways that could be more effective due to her lack of licensure. this is a seasoned nurse, who has respect for others and approaches the question from a standpoint where the individual is able to learn from what she has to say, not be put down and possible deter the student from wanting to help becuase she feels she may be of no help....8 years is a lot of experience, but please learn from how the emergency rn responded to the post. makes you think a bit, and yes nursing is cut throat, but there is a fine line between honesty and disrespect.

Wow- AU-RN...yeah i would say pretty cut throat for a poor student asking if they could be of any help. I love that you label them hand holders. She was not asking if she could go in there and suture up victims, start IVs and learn a bunch of new things. She was asking if there was ANY WAY SHE COULD HELP. I am under the impression by your comments you think the only valuable volunteers in Haiti are RNs and MDs?? By your comments yes. I would watch how you say things about volunteers in Haiti. Would you tell those who are trying to help neighbors and other Haitians out of the rubble they are just "In the way"? I dont think so. So instead of trying to EAT YOUR YOUNG like so many Nurses think is effective these days. Why would you not encourage the experience and the help in any way? This is a place for positive comments and encouragement as well as info, not a way to demean those who are our future of healthcare. Please think before you say things, because your words do have validity to some degree, but there are other ways of going about it. Act like an adult and have some respect. And just remember those "Hand-holders" are your future of healthcare and will be taking care of you one day.