SCHOOL OF NURSING
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NURSES MAKE MEDICAL MISSION TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Instead of donning caps and gowns on graduation day, 16 nursing students made memories of another kind. On the morning of CSU’s spring commencement, the nurses travelled to the Dominican Republic on a one-week medical mission. Class of 2013 valedictorian Kelly Zaleski represented her fellow nurses at commencement and joined the medical mission in the mountains of San Juan de la Maguana the following day. The new graduates brought with them 21 suitcases filled with medications, supplies and tooth brushes and toothpaste, all of which were donated to the Dominican people. They treated some 500 patients in remote villages which usually see a doctor every 12 to 18 months, and treated everything from runny noses and congestion to high blood pressure and diabetes. A portable pharmacy was established and many patients were given the medications they needed for their illnesses. Every adult and child received a toothbrush and paste. Nurses distributed coloring books and crayons and sang a tune in Spanish to teach youngsters how to brush their teeth and wash their hands. The nurses raised $12,000 to fund their medical mission through candy and bake sales and other activities. In addition, four Cleveland-area schools donated to the “tooth education” initiative. The group was accompanied by three nursing faculty members, two registered nurses, a high school student, a nurse practitioner, a physician’s assistant, and a pediatrician. The School of Nursing plans to make this an annual trip.
Cleveland State University CSUOHIO.EDU
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