Show Student State u en Nurses ur e Offer er Health Heal ea and an toe Hope 0 e I Jt 4 t f jo Ji f 4 f i w 1 Ji J 1 P 1 b I i I Y AP AP Y i. i f. f t Ihl I o hl Ie I 4 2 i t J Jo r i I 1 M. M Jl t. t j 1 I J O OA r I y Oo u o 1 n j I J eM f n A student nurse examines a young Vietnamese girl during her month long mission providing health services in Vietnam Christopher Jones Staff Sixteen days of volunteer volunteer volunteer volun volun- teer service in Vietnam taught Mollie r n a g great e deal about b out coin as- as son slop tau er era mk pt 0 Ht t. t gratitude e and necessity learned that everyone has a story She and four other Salt Lake Community College student student student stu stu- stu- stu dent nurses who spent most of the month caring for the less fortunate in Vietnam have new stories On March 19 the five student nurses who made the trip at their own expense returned from Vietnam Instructors translators and a team of See Nurses continued on page 3 Nurses continued from front page doctors accompanied them Their mission facilitated by the Children of Peace International COPI took the team across the length of the country to provide medical attention an and nutritional nutritional nutritional education for the people of Vietnam It ft was really really hard said who 1 1 feels It 11 HS s important to remind other people how blessed they are The most difficult parts were also the most rewarding A visit to a childrens children's children's childrens childrens children's chil chil- drens dren's prison was one of the most dif dif- dif dif- and t touching experiences The young I prisoners because no what else to do with them They were orphans street peddlers peddlers peddlers ped ped- and victims of physical cal or and/or sexual abuse The imprisoned children who ranged from age four to eighteen were known as the Children of the Dust said this was because they were not of any worth to anyone The trip was filled with heart wrenching experiences experiences experiences as the student nurses tried to aid the people of Vietnam Where does it hurt was one of the few but most important phrases the student student student stu stu- stu- stu dent nurses learned in Vietnamese Simple hand gestures were also used to help diagnose patients while the translators were busy with others Malnutrition plagues the country Headaches earaches earaches earaches ear ear- aches stomachaches and andopen andopen andopen open wounds were among the most common ailments was amazed at what they found in the children's childrens childrens children's childrens children's chil chil- drens dren's ears twigs insects infections and an l more Many of the parents complained complained complained com com- their children were We had to make some difficult decisions Mollie deaf when in fact they just needed etl their ears cleaned out We had to make some difficult decisions said speaking of the overwhelming number of people who needed medical attention and the limited time and supplies the student student student stu stu- stu- stu dent nurses had to offer The student nurses were told their experience would be like spitting in the ocean No matter how many s supplies they were able to bring it wouldn't be enough because of the masses of people needing medical attention noted that more than supplies and health visits the people of Vietnam needed tion and training A major part of the stunt student nurses' nurses visit was teaching preventative tive techniques Paul Wayne Kinsey Anjanette Newton and Mandy Patillo were the other student student student stu stu- stu- stu dent nurses who volunteered volunteered volunteered volun volun- with in Vietnam Their instructors were Donna Thompson and Michelle Smeltzer Im so excited about this said Im going to to stay involved The service in Vietnam was the first of its kind for nursing students at The Student Nurses Alliance plans to build on this experience and continue offering this opportunity to students in the future believes this is bet better and better better better bet bet- er ter w fot for forthe the st students at fet V I f tl i- i In a February interview with The Globe said she wanted to come away from Vietnam feeling she had provided the people with hope nope While the student nurses dont don't know what impact they had saw children who were initially lly apprehensive and empty- empty eyed filled with love and gratitude by the time they left left reft I dont don't know what I gave to them but I know what happened inside of me said saki I feel like I made a difference |