Meet OC BSN student Florence Buendia as she shares her experiences studying abroad in Belize and how her time abroad has changed her view of nursing. Florence has grown up around nurses and always wanted to go into the nursing field but was inspired by volunteer work to pursue her nursing degree. That inspiration was recently reinforced when she embarked on the WCU global health initiative trip in Belize.
She says that her experiences in Belize opened her eyes to the different needs and backgrounds of patients and the role that nurses play in helping those in need around the world. The new perspective broadened her consideration for those with different beliefs and helps her identify with the different background that some patients may be coming from when in need.
When she embarked on the study abroad program she expected to be changing the lives of those she helped but she says that the experience changed her instead. She was particularly surprised with the kindness and gratitude that the patients they served had for even the smallest of gestures. Commonplace solutions and medication here can make a huge difference in the quality of life for someone that doesn’t have access to basic healthcare or medication.
Florence is looking forward to graduation and wants to take the experiences she had in Belize and continue to make a difference in global health care.
WCU provides career guidance and assistance but cannot guarantee employment. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or position of the school or of any instructor or student.
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