My Chamberlain College of Nursing Service Trip Experience

In April, I went on an international service trip to Honduras with my classmates from Chamberlain College of Nursing’s Atlanta campus, my professor Becky Metcalfe and the Church of Buckhead. This one-week trip was designed to give us, nursing students, the opportunity to compassionately provide nursing interventions, such as administering medications, providing health education and cleaning wounds. We set up clinics at a church, a local school and in the community. Each day, we set up a triage, three assessment rooms and one pharmacy.

 Day 1-Church Clinic

I worked in the pharmacy administering antiparasitic medication, antibiotics, vitamins, prenatal vitamins, Tylenol, Neosporin, asthma inhalers, Claritin and hygiene kits. The air in Honduras was filled with smoke from burning tar, gas and pollution. Inhaling it every day gave patients headaches, allergies or pain when breathing. One patient’s chief complaint was shortness of breath, so we brought her into the pharmacy to provide a breathing treatment to help open up her airway.

 Day 2-School Clinic

On the second day while working in assessment, I listened to patients’ wheezing lung sounds, examined double ear infections in infants and cleaned wounds. I was shocked when I saw a parasite in someone’s arm. The patient complained of itching in her elbows, but no pain. The parasite had entered her body while she was drinking water. We referred her to the doctor and gave her Benadryl to help with the itching.

  Day3-Community Clinic

We helped more than 150 families on the third day. While working in triage, I checked patients’ blood pressure and temperature, asked for chief complaints and confirmed when they received their last antiparasite medication. There were times throughout the day that I was exhausted, but I was committed to helping. Every time I looked up there was a new patient sitting across from me smiling, even though they did not feel well.

It was the patients’ smiles and hugs that warmed my heart.  I can close my eyes right now and still see their smiling faces; they are the reason my trip was a wonderful learning experience! I hope the next time I go back, I can see some of the people I helped this year, and thank them for changing my life and helping me grow as a person!

I am currently a student at the Chamberlain College of Nursing Atlanta, GA campus pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.