UAFS nursing students work in Uganda

story submitted by the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith; written by Noel Lloyd, communications specialist with Cure International; photos by Cure photographer Lindsey Bingaman

Four nursing students from the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith have returned from the African country of Uganda where they spent two weeks in late May at the CURE Children’s Hospital of Uganda (CCHU).

The trip was part of the university’s new Maymester program and was led by UAFS Assistant Professor of Nursing Pam Blesch and Instructor Peggy Kelly. Lauren Hall of Fort Smith, a part-time faculty member at the university, also went on the trip.

The students had the opportunity to work side-by-side with hospital nurses and surgeons and observe firsthand the advanced neurological pediatric care the facility offers to African children. They also experienced what it is like to practice their profession in a totally different culture.

“For most of our team members, this was the first time they witnessed medicine being practiced in a setting outside of the United States,” said Blesch, who has also been to Burundi, Senegal and Ecuador on similar trips. “This trip gave them an opportunity to totally immerse themselves in another culture.”

The hospital is located in Mbale, Uganda, in the heart of East Africa. It is operated by CURE International, a faith-based nonprofit organization that’s the largest provider of pediatric specialty surgical care in the developing world.

This facility offers medical care to around 4,000 African children every year with neurological conditions such as hydrocephalus. Despite being in a developing country, the hospital is recognized worldwide for the quality of its treatment and for its surgical training program that attracts pediatric neurosurgeons from all over the globe.

During their two weeks at the hospital, the UAFS students had many opportunities to put their medical skills to the test. They helped dress wounds, monitored the Intensive Care Unit and watched advanced surgical procedures. The students also spent time with patients and their families.

Derek Johnson, executive director of CCHU, noted, "”The interaction between the nursing students and faculty from UA Fort Smith and our staff at the hospital exemplifies the mutual benefit of short-term medical missions trips. Ms. Blesch and her team worked side-by-side with our staff exchanging ideas, finding solutions and encouraging each other as they provided high-quality care for our young patients. We all benefit from exchanges like this.”

UAFS student Mariah Simmons of Fort Smith said her experience renewed her appreciation for her profession. For fellow student Christina Hamilton of Greenwood, the trip reaffirmed her reasons for choosing nursing as her major.

“I went to nursing school because my goal was to one day do medical mission work,” Hamilton said. “My experience here has confirmed this to me. I would love to come back to Uganda someday.”

While the trip was an once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity for the students, it was also a chance for Blesch to share some of her expertise with the nurses at the hospital. Hall who teaches nutrition at UAFS, also conducted nutrition seminars for the hospital medical staff as well as mothers of the hospital patients.

One lasting memory the team members will have is how they helped change the life of an African child. The UAFS team funded a surgery for a child at the hospital named Herman thanks to a donation from the Student Nurses Association, according to Blesch.

“Herman is 6 years old and had a brain tumor,” Blesch said. “He and his family are actually from Kenya. They sought surgery for him, but were put on a waiting list. When the family heard about the work this hospital is doing, they brought him to Uganda. Several of the team members had the opportunity to sit in on his surgery.”

Also participating were students Becky Sloan and Heather Ebert.

The Maymester program at UAFS has included several study abroad and stateside opportunities. During Maymester courses, students are involved in intensive, compact educational experiences that result in college credit. UAFS Maymester courses were planned for the time period in May that follows the completion of the spring semester and prior to the beginning of the first summer term.