Where is Nursing Going?

HAITI  Spring 2008

Over Spring Break, the nursing-focused Haiti mission team traveled to Haiti to work in the Faculté des Sciences Infirmières (FSIL) nursing school in Leogane. The team was led by Dr. Tim Bristol, Director of Nursing.  On the team were:  Christina Atkinson, Ruth Baker, Jessie Koller, Gretchen Olson, Hanni Pulley, Lisa Richards, Marie Sjolund, Neil Vassar, and Benjamin Waite.

It was an amazing experience as students were able to build relationships with Haitian nursing students through such unique circumstances as Crown being the first team of American students to ever visit FSIL and the fact that both schools' programs are preparing to graduate their first class of seniors. Students were able to learn from and teach Haitian students and partner with them to organize two community health fairs.

The Crown students also teamed up with their Haitian counterparts to work in a clinic, showing the love of Christ to over 400 patients through free health care and medication.  They treated a variety of illnesses, the most common being hypertension, malnutrition and skin infections.

For more information on this wonderful school that so graciously hosted us, visit www.haitinursing.org

HAMTRAMCK  Spring 2008

Junior Nursing student Crystal Mattson participated in a Spring Break mission trip to Hamtramck in the Detroit area, to work with the Acts 29 Fellowship, a Christian and Missionary Alliance affiliate devoted to ministry in that community.  Hamtramck is a 2 square mile area with a population of 20,000. It is one of the most diverse cities in the country with many first generation immigrants from Bosnia, Yemen, Bengal, and Lebanon. There are also many Polish and African Americans. Twenty one different languages are spoken in the city.

Crystal worked alongside a doctor there in the clinic and was able to use many of the nursing skills she has learned in school. “It was just like I was an actual nurse there; I was able to do so much”, she said. “They would have allowed me do even more but I had to say ‘no, I don’t think I should do that quite yet’!”

CHINA  Spring 2008

Sophomore Nursing student Rachel Chon will participate in a mission trip to the Xian and Beihai regions of China in May.  Although she will not be working in a nursing setting per se, she is looking forward to the nursing perspective she will have in her work there, especially at the orphanage she plans to visit.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO   Summer 2008

This summer a team of 5 Crown Nursing students will travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo for 4 weeks to work with the HEAL Africa hospital there.  This will be Crown Nursing’s second visit to this hospital (see related article in the last issue of this publication: 'My Hopes for the Congo'<//a>This year the team will be accompanied by Professors Vicki Kyarsgaard and Cheri Mann for 2 weeks each.  On the team will be:  Kristin Meyer, Betty Lor, Kate Manske, Bethany Buckhout, and Krista Westrich.