Cya Panama!

Where to begin with blog 3? There is so much I could talk about in here and want to try to narrow it down to the most important things I noticed and learned while here on this trip. Having never been outside of the country before I was really excited to come here. I knew it wasn’t going to be luxurious conditions and that it would be a hard three weeks but I pushed those thoughts aside and got really excited and anxious to leave the country and use my passport for the first time! There was so much I was taking in from the second the plane landed on the runway. How small the airport was compared to Miami or Tampa, the weather, the planes. As soon as we went into the airport I started looking around, noticing everyone and how the looked and dressed and how the signs were all in Spanish. Once we had finally arrived in Chitre we had a bad first couple days with bugs and all but after that was settled and I got into a routine I was really excited to see how the hospitals and schools were in another, underprivileged area. The clinicals and hospital weren’t much different than I had imagined but the schools were very different. I wasn’t sure how schools would be but being a little naïve I expected them to be similar. I was very surprised to see how the schools were. They were less advanced than I thought with no A/C and stray dogs walking all around the school. The teachers did seem like they were doing a good job of teaching the kids though and that is really all that matters. 

Something else that I could not believe was the amount of stray dogs that are all over Chitre and Panama in general. It seems like many people here just walk past dogs like they’re squirrels or regular animals that Americans just walk by. As an animal lover it was really hard for me to see all of the stray dogs around.

Overall my entire experience here was really great. I am very happy I had the opportunity to come to Panama because I now have experiences that few people in my nursing profession will have.

Goodbye Panama!

 

I didn’t know what to expect when I signed up for this trip to Chitre, Panama. I just knew that I wanted to travel and see what the medical field was like in another country. It was definitely a plus that I wouldn’t have to take this course in the Fall semester, but I really did come for an international experience. The moment we landed in Panama I had already experienced a culture shock. I have been out of country before but not to a third world area. I am not used to having the electric, AC, or hot water out unless there is a hurricane or something, so having this unavailable was something new to me. I have enjoyed all of the humanitarian work that we have been able to do for the children here and I will always remember some of their smiling faces. One of my favorite experiences here in Panama was being able to give shoes to the children of Las Minas. It is incredible that these children have to walk an hour and a half or ride horseback just to get to school. Children in America really don’t know how blessed they are to have a nearby school with air conditioning that has more than two classrooms. Working in the clinics was also one of the highlights of this Panama trip. I managed to get myself through the language barrier by speaking the little bit of Spanish that I knew and I was still able to learn even though my Spanish was not that great. I definitely will be practicing my Spanish more when I come home so I can improve it and hopefully apply it in the clinical setting back home. I was really expecting to be in a Pediatric setting for a day or even watch a delivery so I’d have to say that was probably the biggest let down in the clinincal settings. I am anxiously waiting for next semester now so I can finally see what these areas are like. Seeing as I paid for this whole trip myself, my only big complaint was that there wasn’t more for us to do in the hospitals. I decided to do it so I could get more international nursing experience here but I will still take all the other experiences from here as life lessons.

          The weekends here in Panama definitely made the trip worthwhile. From the beach to El Valle I enjoyed the weekends as if it were an actual vacation instead of a nursing trip. El Valle was absolutely beautiful and it really made me fall in love with Panama. What I am going to miss the most about Panama are the people here. Although they weren’t all accepting of the fact that we don’t speak fluent Spanish, they were some of the nicest people I have ever met. They are all very willing to help out and listen to my broken “Spanglish” so that I can at least try to communicate. I will miss seeing how appreciate the Panamanians are in the health care setting. In America everyone is in a rush and just expects everything without ever thanking anyone. However, in Panama everyone is always very respectful and thankful of the nurses and the doctors and they never seemed like they were in a rush. All in all, this has been an amazing learning experience and it made me realize just how blessed I really am in America. I knew there would be some bumps in the road on this trip especially since there are 16 girls and we’re all used to being leaders. However, I have learned a lot about myself on this trip and I plan on taking everything I have learned and applying it when I get back home. Thanks for everyone who hung in there and kept a positive attitude because you guys helped me get through this trip J It’s been an awesome three weeks ladies and I hope you all enjoy the rest of your summer break!  

                       

Yeehaw from Panama!

        This experience in Panama is one that I will always remember, and I have been very blessed to have had the chance to be involved. We’ve had many opportunities in a variety of places, such as schools for children less fortunate, clinics, and medical hospitals and each one has taught me something different. In regards to nursing skills, I really enjoyed the clinics as I felt confident in my abilities and was able to make a tangible difference. One of my favorite parts of this trip has been our weekend in El Valle where we were able to go zip-lining in the forest overlooking a waterfall, go horseback riding looking straight into the mountains and a four hour hike up a mountain peak where you could overlook everything! We were able to visit the craft market where the people were selling various hand made goods like paintings on wood planks, needlework, and jewelry. When walking around, you will likely see them working on their crafts and it is amazing to watch their skill and precision as they take great pride in their work. I feel like the Panamanian people make do with whatever they have and are able to find joy in it which is something we can all learn from. Whether it’s the hospitals using whatever supplies they have to complete all their tasks or the people on the street using their gifts and abilities to better themselves, everyone seems to be secure with their provisions and grateful for what they have.
         While this trip was different than my expectations, I am very pleased that I went. I think the first week was rough for all of us as we were learning to adapt to where we were and the jobs we would be doing. The days were long and sometimes rough, but I feel very accomplished and am glad that I made the most of every situation. This is an experience that I hope many will continue to participate in. It isn’t an easy, vacation trip but there has been a great mix of work and leisure time that it helps to keep you motivated. I have enjoyed learning from my classmates and getting to know everyone better while learning more about a community I really knew nothing of. Participating in healthcare in another country is challenging even without a language barrier, but I feel like I have learned more about their healthcare as they have also learned a few things from us. Being a culturally competent nurse is a vital part of our job and it’s not as easy as it sounds. There are many aspects of culturally sensitive care, as it takes adaptability and awareness to provide the best care for the patients. I believe I have gained valuable experience from this trip and have had a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the people of Panama. It is my goal to use this trip as a building block to what I’ve already learned so I may implement it when I graduate. I’ve had a wonderful time here, and while it’s a little sad leaving, I know that I’ve become a better nurse and person because of it. Thank you for following. America, here we come!

 

Blog 3. . . yippee

Blog 3

All and all, I really enjoyed my time here in Panama. Although there were some bumps along the way; changing of plans, mixed personalities, random issues, etc., we had a good group here and everything seemed to work out. I have really learned to thoroughly appreciate my life back home and all the little comforts I hadn’t noticed before.

While here, I feel that we did the most good when we were able to go the schools and to Nutre Hogar. The children really seemed to enjoy us being there. I especially enjoyed being able to size shoe’s for the children in Las Minas. I am hoping that I can get an annual shoe drive going so that shoe’s can be provided every year. We shall see. 

The people of Panama have been incredibly gracious (well, except some nurses at the clinic and another person in particular that shall not be named. . . . we all know who she . . I mean who that was). But the people of Panama and Chitre were helpful to us babbling English speakers and that made a good impression on me. The patients that allowed and trusted English nursing students to do simple procedures with needles should be commended. I’m not so sure I’d feel comfortable if a student that only spoke Spanish came to a clinic or hospital and wanted to give me a shot or start an IV. I give those folks props for trusting our abilities.

One thing the language barrier has taught me is that communication is truly a key to being a great nurse. Not knowing what these patients were thinking or saying really hindered me feeling comfortable in treating them. I believe communication is a very important part of effective nursing. My plan is to being Spanish courses so that I can feel comfortable providing care to the Spanish speaking patients that are back home.

Panama has been a great learning experience in many different ways. Not only have I learned about community health nursing in an environment different than my own but I’ve learned quite a bit about myself as well.

Blog #3 by Katie Mayers

We have now come down to our last couple days in Panama. Although there are many great experiences that I could write about this trip, I have to say our trip to El Valle was one of the best experiences during these three weeks. Last weekend we took the two hour drive to El Valle. When we got there, we hiked up for four hours to the top of a mountain and saw the “sleeping Indian women.” Although the hike was very tiring, it was all worth it once we got to the top. The view was so beautiful and something that I will never forget. We then all went Zip Lining down the mountain, which was so much fun! The next day before we left, we all went Horseback riding down a trail surrounded by mountains.

Another day that I really loved was when we went to Las minas. We traveled an hour up a mountain to teach the children about hand washing and nutrition. Afterwards we gave each child a new pair of shoes. Seeing their faces had made traveling up that mountain all worth it. It was such a great and fulfilling day.      

Blog 2 by Katie Mayers

Blog 2                                                                                                                       

Our first week here in Panama, we had clinical at the Salo de Montegreo. This was a very enjoyable yet interesting experience. I spent my first two days checking blood pressures and doing pap smears in the gynecology room. This was exciting as I had never done a pap smear before. My last day at the clinic, I had the opportunity to give 25 IM  injections. Person after person would just walk into the injection room and then walk out. It was a great day, however, I was slightly surprised in the sanitation. Nurses do not wash their hands before/after giving injections or wear gloves. This was very weird for me as I am so used to wearing gloves and washing hands in between patients. I was also surprised at how people were sitting in the “waiting room” with no AC and a stray dog would just walk into the clinic at times. I learned that this was a clinic for more underprivileged people who did not have insurance or a social security number.

Our second week here, I went to the Social Security hospital. I spent my first day in the OR, observing a kidney surgery. I was very impressed with the technology in the OR and the sanitation. They prepped/sterilized with Iodine the area of the patient that they were going to operate on and had modern technology. My second day I was in the ER. This was a great experience as I got to give four IV’s. However I was surprised to find that the nurses did not use gloves and just cleaned the area with water.  Overall though, I had a great experience at the hospital and was happy with the opportunities that I was given.

Katie Mayers Blog #1

Welcome to Panama!

So far. We have visited Panama City and a town called Chitre. However, this trip has been slightly different than what I expected. As soon as we arrived at the airport, I experienced a culture shock. Almost everything in Panama is in Spanish, and barely anyone speaks English. The first couple days here, we went out to eat and many of us struggled to order our food. This language barrier has made certain situations stressful, especially when in clinical. I really did not expect it to be this hard to communicate with others.

Additionally, I had always classified Panama as a third world country, a country in which almost everyone is at the poverty level. This really has not been the case. As in America, a lot of people actually have cars, and live in an apartment/home. Needless to say, I was very surprised to find out that we were going to be living in a home for these next 3 weeks. I thought we would be staying in dorms. We have running water, electricity, and Wifi.  I was also surprised to find the food here to be as good as its’ been. Panama has some great chicken & rice, and some of the best fruit drinks. 

Overall though, our experience has been great and has been interesting being immersed into a whole new culture. I’m excited for what is in store for the next couple weeks.

By Katie Mayers