North Dakota State University (NDSU) Center for Nursing students visited palliative care patients over the Easter Holiday as part of their expanded Nursing Program annual trip to Kenya.
This is the third year the nursing students travel to Kenya to participate in a variety of clinical experiences in acute care and community settings.
The team has been very busy visiting hospital wards and the palliative care visits have been a favorite among all of them.
“We have been going to the homes of patients with different types of incurable cancers and people who are paralyzed. Palliative care is a lot different than it is in the United States,” they say.
The clients are referred to community visits by the palliative care nurse, and assessments are done in the hospital for those that cannot afford the care that is required.
“We all thought it was very amazing that these services are provided completely free of charge. They are given medication, counseling, dressing changes, and any other medical supplies they may require,” they say.
The patients receive monthly visits and these patients are so thankful. Britney and Dani were greeted by one family with song and dance. Rachel and Shenae were offered food for their visits.
As part of this trip, students and faculty are as well engaged in service learning project to create washable sanitary garments for adolescent girls as many girls in Kenya lack feminine hygiene products.
The annual trip is very well received among locals in Kenya. The trip has also sparked NDSU to explore other travel abroad opportunities.
As NDSU looks ahead to its many changes in 2014, students are also looking forward to their participation in the program’s annual trip to Kenya coordinated and supervised by Dr. Molly Secor-Turner.
Read more stories on their visit at their NDSU Kenya 2014 blog.
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