Collaborative Service Learning Project to Bring Theory into Practice in Cap-Haitien, Haiti

A nurse’s job is to assess, diagnose, plan, intervene, and evaluate patients holistically all over the world despite the language barrier, cultural and religious differences.  This poster presentation is based partly on an elective course taken at York College in the Department of Nursing during the summer of 2014 along with other nursing students to participate in a study abroad in Cap-Haitien, Haiti for approximately two weeks. Many people in Cap-Haitien, Haiti have lack of access to medical care, pure water and other necessary resources. Nursing students were invited to attend the Third Annual Haitian Kennedy Fellows Conference in Cap-Haitien, Haiti. The Kennedy Fellows were outstanding students from various regional public universities throughout Haiti. We worked as a group on a hygiene related project with elementary school children in which we provided teaching on performing vaginal care to prevent infection, proper body mechanic to prevent injury and cataract prevention education with local farmers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cataract alone is the leading cause of blindness in all countries of the world. An estimated 42 million people are affected by severe loss of vision, and cataract causes 17 million of these losses. This proves that, effective teaching has a significant impact on patient's health and safety. In addition, educating patients effectively can also improve the satisfaction of a nurse because of the idea of impacting someone’s quality of life. Overall this collaboration closed with an opportunity for each of us to plant trees on the farm. We had the opportunity to work together and learn from each other, even when a language barrier existed. Once again, in the summer of 2015, I had the honor to return to Haiti with the purpose of evaluating the impact of teaching on performing vaginal care, proper body mechanic to prevent injury and cataract prevention education with local farmers. The conclusion was that, individuals continue to practice the proper skills they have learned. In conclusion, the project was a success to both, the citizens of Cap-Haitien, and the nursing department at York College.  This proves that, the world could be a better place by providing education to underserved individuals.