REFLECTION

     I am so glad I decided to participate in this program. I was extremely hesitant at first for multiple reasons. Firstly, I was worried about my other classes; we had exams the week before spring break and the following week once we arrived back home. Additionally, I had already been feeling overwhelmed by the course load and all my other obligations that I was concerned about not getting a “break” per say. Nevertheless, it turned out to be exactly what I needed, just in the way I had originally imagined.

     My week in Grenada refueled my passion for nursing. Since I began nursing school, I lost some of that fire. I got caught up in studying, trying to get good grades, and thinking about graduate school that I lost sight of my “why.” The reason I went into nursing and my love for the field got buried under my exhaustion. And though the trip certainly had a packed schedule, it was just the right balance of work and rest. The more time I spent with patients, the more I remembered why I choose nursing and how much I love public health. My international experience has allowed me to develop a better understanding of my values and the characteristics I want to have as a nurse. I always want to see the patient first and not get caught up in the disease or treatment; the patient is the priority.

     Grenada has such a different pace from the United States. This experience certainly emphasized the importance of flexibility. Regardless of the plans we may have had, it did not always go the way we intended; however, we adapted and it always turned out fine. Furthermore, it allowed (forced) me to step out of my comfort zone and grow tremendously personally and professionally.

     One of my biggest takeaways was learning how to meet the patient where they are. We have been told this continuously throughout the nursing program; however, it was not until this trip that I truly learned the meaning of it. So many of the patients lacked the knowledge they needed to appropriately take care of themselves or they lacked the financial means to. Neither of these were things we could automatically fix in our one week there, but I hope we were able to provide them with some useful education that was a step in the right direction and would promote some better health habits.