Russell recalled the day a young man walked into the clinic with gastric bleeding. The Ecuadoran doctor asked the American nurses to pass a nasogastric tube into the man, a task they could perform without difficulty. But they could not determine what to connect the NG-tube to because there was no functioning Gomco machine. Overall, the Global Volunteers health care team had little trouble adjusting to its new environment. In addition to enjoying her nursing role, Russell also appreciated the exposure to people of differing backgrounds, work styles and ethnicities.
Volunteers pay all program-related costs, including airfare.
Susan Trossman is the senior reporter for The American Nurse.