Fleming College

Five Practical Nursing students will put their skills to good use providing primary health care to rural Hondurans.The fourth-semester students – Laura Bayliss, Gillian Marr, Lianne McDonald, Rob McKenzie, and Amanda Parker –  will travel to the Central American country as part of two separate teams. The teams are part of a larger medical brigade of doctors, nurses, dentists, students and volunteers that head down to Honduras every year from Peterborough. Ms. Bayliss and Ms. Marr will leave January 17 while the rest of the group will leave January 31. This is the fourth year Practical Nursing students from Fleming College have travelled with the Friends of Honduran Children, the charity that organizes the medical brigade.On Saturday, January 12 the students and other volunteers helped to pack items such as vitamins, toothbrushes and toothpaste, school supplies, soccer balls, clothing, shoes, and eyeglasses to take with them to Honduras. The students have undertaken a fundraising drive here at the college as well, and close to $900 has been raised. The students plan to take the money with them to buy specific supplies. They will visit with families and purchase whatever those families need most – whether it is mattresses, fencing or livestock. Students pay their own way to go and will miss some classes and assignments when they are gone. However, Practical Nursing Program Coordinator Iris Gravel provides 100 per cent support for the students’ mission."It’s amazing to see these young people taking this on… the experience they will receive is invaluable," she says. "You can’t match it in the classroom, in a lab or even in our community." All five of the students share similar reasons for participating in the trip – using their nursing skills to provide assistance to those in need. "It’s such a feel-good thing to do, helping the less fortunate," said Ms. McDonald. "Helping those in need is a great experience for nursing and helping others," added Ms. Parker.The students will help set up daily clinics in various communities. They will perform triage care throughout the clinic line up as well.  Home visits, dental care and preventative care are also aspects of the trip. The students may encounter some emotionally trying situations such as not being able to attend to everyone who needs help. However, the teams will meet daily for a debrief session to discuss their activities and emotional ups and downs, said Ms. Bayliss.Without having left yet, the students are already encouraging first-year nursing students to start thinking about taking the trip next year. "It’s a great opportunity," said Mr. McKenzie.Friends of Honduran Children’s mission is to improve the quality of life for impoverished Honduran children and their families, meet their basic needs and empower them to break the cycle of deprivation and hardship that controls their lives.For anyone who wishes to donate to Friends of Honduran Children or participate in its adopt-a-child program, 100 per cent of donations go directly to those who need help, said the students. For more information or to donate, visit www.honduranchildren.com