Nicaragua A reflection from John Jeffrey Jones, Class of 2016 During this spring semester, I participated in the intercultural immersion to Nicaragua over spring break along with other pharmacy students, nursing students, and a physical therapy student from the RueckertHartman College for Health Professions to explore the intersections of poverty and health in Nicaragua. On our trip, we met with health care workers and local activists, whose work is inspiring considering their limited resources. Specific examples of noteworthy events that transpired throughout our journey included visits to Casa Materna, which serves peasant women with high-risk pregnancies in an effort to decrease maternal mortality in Nicaragua, and Centro de Mujeres Acahual (Acahualínca Women’s Center), whose staff provides treatment for cervical and uterus cancer, advocates against domestic violence, elevates self-esteem of women through education and self-help groups, and aims to lower the rates of STDs, HIV-AIDS, and teenage pregnancy. We
toured Villa Libertad Health Care Center, Lenín Fonseca, a public trauma hospital, and NicaHOPE, a project of Fabretto Children’s Foundation that offers educational programs for communities that work in and around La Chureca, the Managua city dump. The mission of NicaHOPE is to promote integrated education to children and their families in vulnerable communities by developing abilities and skills in order to improve quality of life in a sustainable manner via jewelry making. The interprofessional dynamic of this experience allowed me to gain perspectives from other disciplines as we discussed the qualities of the health care system in Nicaragua in comparison to the health care system here in the United States. We all realized how technologically advanced the United States is in our respective disciplines and how fortunate we are for the things we take for granted. I am amazed at the powerful impact that this experience had upon me and the inspiration that it created within me to progress and to advocate for humanitarian causes.
Trauma Hospital - Back row: Chief Nurse of Hospital, Mariela Huerta (nursing), Wendi Strauss (nursing instructor), Anna Darling (nursing), Carrie Glenny (nursing), Carl Buhay (pharmacy), Sharif Abdelhamid (service learning staff), Ashley Cherian (pharmacy), Kailyn Hinrichsen (nursing), Nicole Cato (nursing), Dr. Megan Schumacher (pharmacy faculty), John Jeffrey Jones (pharmacy) Front row: Regina Retterolf (nursing), Alexandria DeLeon (nursing), local physical therapist, Stephanie Baertline (physical therapy), Tami Flipse (nursing)
Casa Materna - Back Row (standing): Dr. Megan Schumacher (pharmacy faculty), Carrie Glenny (nursing), Anna Darling (nursing), Nicole Cato (nursing), Mariela Huerta (nursing), John Jeffrey Jones (pharmacy), Stephanie Baertline (physical therapy), Regina Retterolf (nursing), Wendi Strauss (nursing instructor), Sharif Abdelhamid (service learning staff); Front Row: Kailyn Hinrichsen (nursing), Carl Buhay (pharmacy), Tami Flipse (nursing), Alexandria DeLeon (nursing), Ashley Cherian (pharmacy)