Nursing Students take a Life-Changing Trip to Kenya

A handful of senior nursing students took part in an incredible trip that allowed them to see a new part of the world, and put their knowledge to the test.

Back in November, eight students and two faculty members spent two weeks in Kenya. The trip was part of a global preceptorship, a nursing capstone required of all graduating students. While most students fulfill the requirement at local Rochester hospitals, these eight students traveled to East Africa for an eye-opening experience.

The first week of the trip was spent visiting clinics and hospitals through the Great Rift Valley working with the Maasai Tribe. There, students had the chance to observe several medical procedures, including C-sections and HIV screenings. Students compared the health care system of Kenya to their own experience in the United States.

“It is really amazing what the nurses and providers are able to do with what little they have,” said Sarah Cruver ’18. “Their fine-tuned senses and instincts allow them to do amazing work whereas sometimes I feel like here we rely too much on technology which dulls our instincts.”

The second week, students ran their own clinics in three different rural villages. Students conducted the primary assessments and saw common issues that were easily treatable with modern medicine.

Faculty members Drs. Kylene Abraham and Vivian Cunningham prescribed medicine and assisted the students in making diagnoses for their patients. According to Abraham, there were 150 to 200 children and 100 to 150 adults at each clinic.

Abraham believes the trip makes students better global citizens, and more aware of what it’s like to be in a foreign country.

The trip ended by taking a two-day safari trip to see the wildlife of Kenya. But beyond seeing these new sights, for Yilmaz Yates ’18, the trip opened his eyes to new career options as well.

“I continue to think about being less wasteful when I’m at the hospital because of the experience and it has changed my career path as I want to continue global health efforts,” Yates said.

This article was written by Chris Murray. A senior majoring in media and communication with a minor in management, Murray is an intern with the College’s Office of Marketing and Communications.