2010 Mission Trip to Guatemala
Buenos Dias! Today is the day we head back to the states. It is beautiful here this morning after a rainy night. Yesterday was a full day and we arrived back at the seminary late last night. We have met so many wonderful people here in Guatemala and it was sad to say our goodbyes yesterday at the Children’s hospital. One little boy found out that it was our last day there and wanted to sing for Linnea Jordan, a 2nd year PT student, who had been working with him this week. He was shy about it, so he hid behind a curtain. So precious! We were able to see a case study of a patient with Guillen-Barre and were able to give suggestions as well as learn the exercises and treatments they were applying. After many goodbyes to both the patients and the PTs, OTs, and nurses at the hospital we headed to Antigua. Antigua is a beautiful city in Guatemala with many shops and colorful buildings. We drove to a coffee plantation in Antigua.
Category Archives: Inman College of Health Sciences
Dahlgren Wins Chaney Distinguised Professor Award
Lucyellen Dahlgren, Instructor of Nursing, was selected as the 2010 Chaney Distinguished Professor at Belmont University, the highest award presented to a faculty member at the university. The award was presented at the university’s graduation ceremonies on May 16th. One of three finalists for the award, Lucyellen was selected from more than 90 faculty nominees. On behalf of the College of Health Sciences and the School of Nursing, congratulations Lucyellen!
A note from the nurses: Emergencia!
2010 Mission Trip to Guatemala
from: Natalie Eaton, Megan Oakley & Beth Higney
Hello from the nurses! Sorry we haven’t updated lately, we couldn’t get to the computer last night but hope we got your attention with the title. No, there was no emergency but we did spend Thursday working in the emergency room at the Children’s Hospital.
After utilizing the translator we were able to meet with the director of the hospital and arrange the opportunity for us to work in the pediatric emergency room on Thursday. The translator was so helpful and made it possible for us to finally express how much we really want to help. Yesterday was the first day that we were asked to really jump in and “do” something. I think it took a couple of days for them to warm up to us and really see how much we know and how much we really can help. The nursing roles here are a bit different compared to the states. For example, nurses do not do any assessments on the patients; in fact, we have yet to see one use a stethoscope. Luckily, we had a translator and one of the doctors in the ER spoke English. We were able to help with assessments and initial diagnosis as the patients came in. We administered medications, started IVs, and drew blood. Like we stated earlier, things are done a little bit different here but it is interesting to see how their hospital units function.
The Way I See It
2010 Mission Trip to Cambodia
from Chelsea Stevens
Well, today was an incredibly emotionally draining day for me (and many of us), so I am going to use today’s blog to kind of unload and filter through my thoughts. While Kim went on the hospitals mobile clinic and Stephanie worked the emergency room and operating room, the other three of us (Emily, Victoria, and I) had our turn to go out to the slums to talk with the HIV patients. Because we had a lot of time, we got to sit in their houses with them and have conversations through our interpreter Chaveleth.
Walking through this area of garbage and insects and who knows what else, I couldn’t help but think to all of the many things I take for granted. It really was an emotionally challenging day to us and to Kim and Stephanie yesterday because you see these people who have nothing and live with a disease that is so challenging, and you wonder how they have a will to get up in the morning. But not only do they have that, they have smiles on their faces and joke about the little things just like we do. While sitting with them, they told us of how they looked before they got on the Anti-retro Virus drug that helps the patients with HIV. They would laugh about how they gain so much weight once getting on the drug and would joke of how different our skin looks from theirs. One woman, in order to make a living for herself and her two children, sweeps the streets at night. But instead of letting her situation bring her down, she picks up posters and pictures people throw away and hangs them on her walls in order to decorate her small tin hut. She was so pleased that we liked them and it brought a huge smile to her face just to show off her little treasures.
Today’s theme: Surprise (times 50)
2010 Mission Trip to Guatemala
Today was filled with many surprises. We had many schedule changes and had to be flexible.
Physical Therapy
Today, one group went to the Children’s Hospital and the other group went to the Shalom School and the University. The group at the Children’s Hospital had a very productive day again. Today was tennis day in PT which was very interesting and fun (and HOT!!!!!). A tennis professional came in and worked with the kids to increase their hand eye coordination. We asked and were allowed to have the two boys with Guillen-Barre participate while standing to increase their strength and endurance. We also asked if these two could stop using their wheelchairs altogether, and the therapists agreed to give it a try.
Eye Opening
2010 Mission Trip to Cambodia
from Kim Engholm
Today was a day full of new and heart wrenching experiences. We began our day at a support group meeting for HIV patients. I volunteered to be the spokesperson for our group. We stressed the importance of taking their medication and taking it on time. Apparently, it meant more coming from us because we are foreigners, and we were wearing scrubs. The meeting was very eye opening to me to see how devastating the effects of HIV are physically, mentally, and emotionally. For example, this was some patients first time to visit because they were ashamed, and others were completely abandoned by their families. After the meeting we split off to go back to the hospital (Chelsea, Emily, and Victoria) and to HIV home visits (me and Stephanie).
The social worker led us to the “newer” slums that were mostly made of concrete. There was dirt, filth, and graffiti everywhere. The first room we came to was a 10 by 20 single room that had about 13 people living in it. We moved down the hall so we could see an aerial view of the “older”slums. It literally looked like a dump with trash haphazardly thrown everywhere. Stephanie and I wanted to take more pictures, but we were too focused on where we were walking. We stepped over every piece of trash imaginable each in a different state of decomposition. Two things that stuck out in my mind were the smell and the noise. It smelt like a trashcan, sewer, old food, and body odor all at once. It featured the sounds of a busy city, babies crying hysterically, people yelling, and food cooking in grease. The “houses” were small, made out of tin, and had at least one wall missing. Others were made out of concrete four stories high. There was no clean water or electricity, and water and wastes ran off from the floors above us.
“Lift as you climb”
2010 Mission Trip to Guatemala
We would like to preface this by apologizing for our error yesterday by replacing split with splint… Now onto our day!!!
The Guatemala team was split up into groups again today. One group went to Fundabiem while the other went to the Children’s hospital. At the Children’s Hospital OTs had an exciting day. The students, under the supervision of the practitioners, were able to be extremely hands on during treatment sessions. Upon entering the OT room, students and practitioners were excited to see previous suggestions given to Guatemalan therapists implemented in their practice. The therapists were putting more emphasis on placing the patient in a correct posture in order to further functional ability. The students and practitioners got to observe a group session conducted by Guatemalan occupational therapy students. During the group, the children showed enthusiasm while taking part in preparing a chicken salad that they later would get to enjoy. The PTs came into the group session to help work with the children on posturing. A break was taken for lunch and everyone enjoyed another home cooked meal while sitting in the sun. After lunch, OT students and practitioners worked collaboratively with Guatemalan therapists to create a splint for a child.
OH SUSAN!!!
2010 Mission Trip to Cambodia
from Victoria Kaelin
Today was our first day in the Center for Hope Hospital. Phalla met us outside the hospital to take us on a tour of where we would be working for the next two weeks. The hospital is a lot different than I expected, a lot more advanced. All the nurses were so excited to see Mrs. Taplin, they were all saying OH SUSAN!!!.
They were very happy that we had come to help them and told us that the people of Cambodia would be very gracious for our presence. I was in the OR today, and it was awesome. I got to watch three surgeries and talk to several of the surgeons and nurses. I was amazed at how much that the surgeons and nurses could do for these people. I really did not know what to expect of their operating room, but it was very nice.
“No more Chanel bags for Bill or Angelina Jolie”
2010 Mission Trip to Guatemala
So Mom’s not much luck on staying healthy today but all sickly individuals have bounced back and feel much better as of now… We are hoping it stays that way.
Today the groups splint into teams one traveling to the Children’s Hospital and the other going to the Shalom School, the University, and the soup kitchen.
The individuals who went to the Children’s Hospital splint up into their specific disciplines. In the OT clinic students worked hands on with a group of children working on sensory stimulation. They used rice, coffee beans, and different textures of cloth as sensory tools. The students and practitioners observed Guatemalan OTs evaluating a patient with severe CP with multiple serious medical issues. Once the evaluation was complete the Guatemalan OTs asked the students and practitioners for suggestions. The differences in techniques were evident but both were open to communication and excited to learn from one another.
Hey lady, tuk tuk?
2010 Mission Trip to Cambodia
from Stephanie Brooks
We have arrived in Phnom Penh! It has been one hot, fantastic day! After settling into our hotel, we walked down the street to a cafe for lunch that had amazingly good food– pumpkin soup (the group favorite), lime soda, and pizza for those of us who needed a little break from Asian cuisine! We seemed to cool off a bit during lunch, but once we reached the market all bets were off. There is more stuff crammed into a teeny tiny space than I thought humanly possible. Mrs. Taplin knows many of the dealers, though, so we got the best quality and lowest price. Needless to say, we became shopaholics (well… I was a shopaholic)… Most of us walked home with armfuls of merchandise, some for ourselves and some for you at home! 🙂
Our mode of transportation to and from the market was by tuk tuk, a small motorcycle with a buggy hooked to the back. Not only did we experience Cambodian culture by riding in a tuk tuk, we experienced the whirlwind of a dozen tuk tuk drivers waiting outside our hotel to let them drive us. They practically came running at us! We only needed two, so it was a tough choice. From every angle we heard, “Hey lady, tuk tuk?” We were glad to give business to the chosen ones!
“Back that bus up!”
2010 Mission Trip to Guatemala
To start our day we had a delicious breakfast and headed on the school bus to the Children’s Hospital. Once we arrived at the hospital the guard was not sure if he could let us through the gate. After 10 minutes of blocking all traffic we ended up backing through 8 lanes of traffic (traveling both ways) needless to say anyone in the 8 lanes of traffic was late to work… BEEEEEP is all we heard!! Although passengers were very worried we made it through safely with no casualties.
“Tell me why”
2010 Mission Trip to Cambodia
from Kim Engholm
We began our day meeting three young University students from Hanoi: Heng (Hung), Hong (Home), and Linh (Ling). They served as our tour guides and guardian angles for the day by negotiating everything from taxi rides to shoe prices. They took us to the University of Literature that served as the first University of Hanoi that began over 1000 years ago. Today, it serves as a museum and temple where students come to pray before their final exams. If prayer is not enough, some students will rub the head of one of the ancient stone turtles for luck and good fortune. We then made our way across town to Salt Lake to visit another temple. This temple was unique because it was in the middle of the lake and featured a cremated turtle. Taking in the culture of the temples was truly a unique experience, and one I am sure we shall never forget.
We made it!
2010 Mission Trip to Guatemala
Just a quick little blog as we drive down the roads of Guatemala City. We have all arrived safe and sound after an EARLY morning, very long layover in Miami, and a adventurous landing in the rain. We are on the way to take a tour of the Shalom Surgery Center. More to come later!!
Haiti Update #11
Jen Watters Haiti Blog
Sunday, May 16, 2010 at 2:50pm
Bonswa tout moun! (Good afternoon everyone)!
I am sitting here, thinking of everyone and enjoying a VERY quiet Sunday afternoon. Almost everyone has gone to the beach today and I am here with just one other housemate. It’s strange that the house it so quiet, but it’s kind of nice too. I’ve very much enjoyed living with all of these different people, but I’m starting to realize that I go a little bit nutty without any personal space or quiet time! So this is a nice treat!! They also brought us four more fans this week so now we have one for the downstairs living area and it’s actually quite comfortable during the day – amazing what some moving air does!
“One, Two, Bat” (Bat pronounced “Bot”)
2010 Mission Trip to Cambodia
from Emily Tice
What a day! We all woke up this morning and boarded a van that took us on a 3 1/2 hour journey to Hon Long Bay, which not only showed us the beautiful countryside of Vietnam, but let us experience some of Vietnam’s culture in one of their most popular tourist spots. Once we got on a boat that would take us around the bay, our tour guide (Hong –> greatest tour guide ever!) educated us on some more Vietnamese culture and history.
We stopped once to explore on of the famous caves in one of the hundreds of islands within the bay, which is also where we took most of our pictures for this day (hopefully we will be able to add them later). This is where the title of my blog (“One, Two, Bat”) was created. As Hong was trying to teach us all Vietnamese numbers (and what a struggle that was!), we all decided we liked the number three in Vietnamese (bat), so instead of saying “one, two, three” before we would take one of our many pictures, we said “one, two, bat!” Not only did we all fall to pieces in laughter every time we said this, but other tourists found our hilarity and silliness amusing as well.
An early morning start
2010 Mission Trip to Guatemala
Thirty two somewhat blurry eyed healthcare professional and students met at the Nashville International Airport in the wee hours of the morning to begin their week long trip to provide heathcare and training in Guatemala. This years’ multidisciplinary team consists of nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech-language pathologist. By 5 am everyone was checked in with their luggage and supplies including orthotics, gloves, masks, casting supplies, (and lots of Belmont T-shirts!). After a layover in Miami, they should arrive in Guatemala this afternoon. Good luck Team!!!!
We Have Arrived!
2010 Mission Trip to Cambodia
Well, we have finally made it to the beautiful Hanoi, Vietnam. It was a long trip, and for a first time international traveler like myself, it was a little scary and overwhelming at times… well pretty much all the time. By the time we were boarding our international flight in LAX, we were all so exhausted and delirious that everything was funny to us. After our 13.5 hour flight to Taiwan, and another 2.5 hour flight to Hanoi, we finally were at our short term destination. During this process though,we completely skipped Friday, which was kind of a joke among us!
Thursday’s Departure from Nashville
2010 Mission Trip to Cambodia
from Chelsea Stevens
Guatemala Missions Trip 2010
2010 Mission Trip to Guatemala
On Sunday, we leave for Guatemala City, Guatemala for the 2010 Guatemala Missions Trip. There are a total of 32 students and clinicians going on the trip this year in a variety of fields such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and nursing. For a handful of students going, it will be their first time out of the U.S. We are excited for this wonderful opportunity to serve others and we appreciate all of the support and prayers as we travel almost 1500 miles.
A Snapshot of the Trip
2010 Mission Trip to Cambodia
from Susan Taplin
Today we leave Nashville for our 6th trip to Cambodia! We are so grateful to each of you who sacrifice time with loved ones so we can go make a difference in the lives of poor and needy in Cambodia. This year there are 5 nursing students going along with Sharon, Keary and I.
Our first stop is Hanoi Vietnam where we will visit Halong Bay and other cultural sites. We will use this time to bond as a group and recover from the long flights and 12 hour time difference. We get there on Saturday around 11AM. We should be able to email/post a blog entry while there. Not sure about phone calls.
We head into Phnom Penh on Tuesday the 18th around 8AM and will be there until the weekend. For the two weekends we are there, we will be visiting a village on one and going to Siem Reap for the other. The plans are not yet finalized for which weekend we will be doing which.
MSN Grads Perfect Again
For the sixth consecutive year, Belmont University graduates from the master’s program for Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP) have achieved a 100 percent first time pass rate on the advanced practice nursing examination for family nurse practitioners, administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
ANCC, the world’s largest and most prestigious nurse credentialing organization, recently announced that the overall first time pass rate for the FNP exam was 93% in 2009. Belmont School of Nursing graduates did particularly well in the exam sections that measured assessment of acute and chronic illness, research, and health promotion and disease prevention, exceeding the mean scores of all test-takers in these areas.
More than a quarter million nurses have been certified by ANCC since 1990 and over 80,000 advanced practice nurses are currently certified by ANCC. ANCC certification is accepted by governing boards throughout the United States, as well as insurers and the military. The program validates nurses’ skills, knowledge and abilities, and empowers nurses within their professional sphere while contributing to better patient outcomes.
Haiti Update #9 (lost but now found!)
Jen Watters Mission to Haiti
Tuesday, May 11th, at 8:57pm
So I forgot to post this on the 3rd when I wrote it, then I couldn’t find it – turns out I had accidently deleted it and it was hiding in my “trash” folder – oops!! I guess my brain was on vacation too!!
Hello everyone!! Bonswa tout moun!!
I was thinking that I should have sent out my email on Saturday this week, since we had the day off, but the power was not really cooperating. Yesterday was my travel day and now I am on my little vacation in Les Cayes in the South of Haiti. I will tell you a little bit about the past week and then save my vacation stories for next week, but I will tell you it has been wonderful so far!!
Haiti Update #10
Jenifer Watters Mission to Haiti Blog
May 9 at 8:10pm
Wow!! I’m now up to double digits!!!
I hope that this finds everyone well. For some reason I can’t find my Haiti update #9 and I don’t remember exactly what I wrote, so I apologize if I am redundant. I also just realized I never posted it here either, so when I find it I’ll put it up!
I am back in Port-au-Prince now after a wonderful week of vacation! I spent the week at Pwoje Espwa, which is an orphanage just outside of Les Cayes in the south part of Haiti. It was such a great week!! My friend Linda runs the guest house there, so I stayed on the property with them. It was perfect timing as they were in between groups and I was really the only extra person around. I got to sleep in a real bed, with a real pillow and since I was the only person in the room I pointed BOTH fans right at me at night – it was wonderfully ridiculous!
Dr. Debra Wollaber selected for Distinguished Nursing Alumnus Award at Hartwick
Belmont University School of Nursing Professor, Dr. Debra Wollaber, has been selected to receive the Distinguished Nursing Alumnus Award by Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York. The award honors a select few who represent the best of nursing through their contributions to practice, research, education, and/or service. Dr. Wollaber received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Hartwick in 1973.
Dr. Wollaber began her tenure at Belmont as an adjunct assistant professor in 1988 while completing her doctorate in child and family studies at Syracuse University. She became Dean of the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing in 1997, a position she held for a decade until moving back to full-time teaching in 2007.
In commenting about her alma mater, Dr Wollaber says, “Hartwick is a special place for me. I really don’t think my career would have taken the trajectory it has without the solid, fine foundation that Hartwick gave me.”
The presentation of the award will occur at the Nurses’ Pinning Ceremony for Hartwick at the end of May, at which Dr. Wollaber will present the keynote address to the college’s graduating seniors.
Social Work Students Win State-Wide Policy Contest
Students from the Social Welfare Policy & Services II class recently competed in the poster presentation contest at the Tennessee Legislature during the 2010 Social Work Day on the Hill. Their policy analysis, “Restorative Justice for Some,” won first prize. Congratulations to these students: Andrew Aichele, Michelle Barnett, Katie Czerwinski, Shauna Daniels, Amy Dunning, Stephanie Hall, Cheyenne Metzger, Tom Rigsby, Lindsay Sechser, Serena Sherrill, Emma Shouse and Courtney Weeks.