The group poses in Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World City) in the province of Pichincha, Ecuador. The grounds contain the Monument to the Equator.
While most university students spent their semester break relaxing, 13 MNU nursing students traveled to Ecuador to help children who rarely see a healthcare provider. Along with two nursing professors, another MNU student serving as an interpreter, and a medical doctor, the students assessed 742 individuals in five locations in the Amazon and Sierra regions of the country. The student-run clinics were held in churches and community centers.
Compassion and a desire to meet the needs of others motivated these students to spend their time and resources this way. Along the way, they experienced a great adventure, learned about other cultures, and enjoyed a new level of companionship with fellow classmates.
For Danielle Hertzler, NRCMA, it was her second MNU nursing mission trip. Danielle is a medical assistant completing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at MNU. In December 2022 she traveled to Guatemala and says she received much more than she gave.
“It was eye-opening,” Danielle says. “It was not pediatrics in America,” she stated as she recalled some of the ailments and issues her young patients were experiencing. “It was a bit intimidating,” she added about the challenges of both the situation and the language barrier, although she speaks some Spanish.
The group travels with an interpreter, but that person is stretched thin as they try to assist all the student nurses with patient communication.
“Working as a team really built confidence and autonomy in assessing the patients,” Danielle says. “I think this kind of experience makes for a better nurse. It helps you continue to feel that your calling [as a nurse] is on target.”
On the Ecuador trip, the student-run clinics were held in churches and community centers and the group had to bring any needed equipment or supplies to the locations. Each student’s experience level is different but all are supervised as they conduct assessments. For most, it was a setting unlike any they had previously experienced and it served to accelerate their growth and nursing skills.
Nick Hartig’s new-found confidence will follow him into the classroom as he completes his BSN at MidAmerica.
“This trip helped me gain confidence in my nursing skills because it put me outside of my comfort zone and forced me to do something I have never done before,” Nick says. “I experienced situations where I had to think outside of the box and solve problems on the fly. Overall, it taught me what being a nurse is truly about and it helped me gain confidence in my ability to become a nurse.”
Danielle says the experience helps the students learn to trust their instincts as a nurse. Back on campus they share that trust in their skills with others and also encourage them to believe in their own abilities.
This was the School of Nursing’s 10th consecutive nursing mission trip. Associate Professor of Nursing Amanda Addis and Assistant Professor of Nursing Stacy Smith are trip sponsors. Addis and Smith are grateful they can provide this experience for their students.
“Each person who gets to serve this way, gains a profound sense of cultural enrichment, a deeper understanding of global healthcare challenges, and a lasting connection to the resilient communities of Ecuador,” says Smith. “This trip is a spiritual quest. Each participant comes away not only with enhanced clinical skills and cultural competence but also with a heightened sense of purpose and spiritual fulfillment. The shared experiences of service create a lifelong bond, reminding everyone involved of the interconnectedness of humanity and the transformative power of compassionate care.”
Readers can enjoy photos from the mission trip in MNU’s Flickr gallery. MNU is committed to providing these types of transformational travel, learning and mission experiences through its Pioneer Trek program.
Advance Your Nursing Career
The MNU School of Nursing offers a traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), an Accelerated BSN and an RN-BSN program on the undergraduate level. On the graduate level, MNU offers the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with tracks in Healthcare Administration and Quality, Nursing Education and MSN/MBA dual degree. The university also offers MSN certificates in Healthcare Administration and Quality or Nursing Education. Learn more about advancing your nursing career at www.mnu.edu/academic-departments/school-of-nursing.
