Arequipa, Peru: Clinical and Cultural Immersion
Report #5
March 23, 2009
These past few days in Peru have proven to be both life changing and moving. As future nurses, our experiences have touched a special place in our hearts. The experiences have affirmed that desire that drove us to pursue nursing in the first place. We have grown in compassion and love after seeing such states of humanity blossom with hope and faith.
On Thursday, we continued to survey families about their socio-economic demographics and other related health and human service needs. There have not been any significant changes in the majority of responses; most families are without running water and without adequate healthcare. The children go unseen by dentists and untreated by medicines. During the interviews, we have seen participants become tearful as they revealed to us their struggles to obtain the basic necessities in life. It amazes us how one simple question, for instance, “Where do you take a bath?” can evoke such a painful reply. The process of eliciting answers to the survey is long, but we can see the importance of the CARE study. The goal is to demonstrate the need for another clinic in the area, but most importantly to assure access to expanded health care services. We are reminded here every day that the simple necessities in life are precious and not guaranteed to every human being. We are also reminded that we in America are fortunate to live in a relative state of health. It is difficult to hear these stories, but it helps us grow as developing nurse professionals. There are no charts here, no numbers assigned patients, and few standard protocols, as we know them in America. There is just you and a person in need which helps you discern the therapeutic basis of nursing. As if this recognition isn’t enough, the gratitude given back to you from the Peruvian people warms your soul. This is evidence that caring can be healing, and should be remembered throughout our nursing practice.
This past week we had the opportunity to go on home visits and to talk with community members. One lady in particular touched everyone’s heart. Gloria is only twenty-five, the mother of two children, and unfortunately she has been through more tragedy in her life than most of us will ever face. All she remembers from her childhood is abuse, which both she and her mother experienced with her father. This eventually led to her running away with her older brother at age five; however, he also became abusive. At age seventeen Gloria lost her second child because she and her husband could not afford healthcare. She has always struggled to find a stable job due to her failure to complete schooling. Today she is married; however, her husband has numerous health problems and cannot continually support the family. Gloria’s story was especially touching because she was taking care of others in the community who were less fortunate than herself. She repeatedly mentioned how she had always dreamed of becoming a nurse, but she had to grow up so fast that she never had the opportunity to pursue nursing. She now dreams of the day her children can become professionals in order to help others in need. This was just one of many wake-up calls we had during our experience here in Peru. These people have struggled their entire lives, yet are still overwhelmingly grateful for every opportunity afforded them. We been given so many opportunities in the US to receive an education and acquire a career. On this trip we realized we need to be grateful and take every opportunity to help others, especially those who are less fortunate. Nurses are given endless chances to influence the lives of others; therefore, we have the responsibility to remember to do our best to be helpful when working with others. This responsibility was clearly articulated by Gloria, “The most important people in the world are those who are willing to help others in need.”
Stephanie D. Holderman
Alyssa Noelani Horne
Second Semester Senior Nursing Students
