Nursing Care in Paradise

       The first week of our trip was dedicated to the care of patients here in Costa Rica. We traveled to and visited four nursing homes throughout the country. Each home was different than the rest. I love how the nursing homes are set up here. When most people think of a.nursing home,  a dreary depressing place comes to mind. Here these homes are vibrant and full of life. All of the elderly seemed happy and content being where they were. Our presence appeared to make them ecstatic. The care we provided was much needed and appreciated. Seeing all the smiling faces and hearing all the thanks we were receiving is enough to warm any one's heart. Of course there were obviously language barriers that made communication difficult. With the help.and.guidance from Dr.Tabi and Sra. Laura we were able to better communicate. As the days went by our spanish improved. This trip has proven to me how beneficial it is to speak the language of the person you are caring for. All four of these opportunities allowed us to work on and develop or nursing skills when working with a different population. We learned how.to communicate effectively, obtain past and present medical health history,  and proper foot care and assessment. All of this skills are necessary for a nurse to have. I plan to use what I learned to help improve my nursing care. I am humbled and and very grateful for this opportunity to do such great work. I know better understand what it means to provide quality and affectionate nursing care for those who need it. No matter how small the act,  everything we do counts in the end to the person(s) we care for.