Adult Student Nurse Volunteering in India!

Hi everyone, my name is Gabrielle Mace and I am currently an Adult Student Nurse at Edge Hill University. I have been given the opportunity to complete an elective placement abroad in my third year, therefore I have took up this opportunity and am planning on visiting India for three weeks in January 2018, teaming up with Plan My Gap Year (PMGY) volunteering in their Medical Project based in New Delhi. I know that this will be a life changing experience, being able to assist in caring for the sick and needy will completely open up my eyes. This will be a contributing factor in understanding the health care system of India. I have set myself some learning outcomes to achieve during my experience in India which will be stated below, also following some information about India and what I am planning on doing while I am there.

Learning outcomes to achieve:

• Observe and understand how the health care system works within India.
• Experience the exposure to a range of client groups with a variation of health conditions within the local Indian slums and hospitals.
• Observe and practice basic clinical skills within the local Indian slums and hospitals, e.g. blood glucose, temperature, blood pressure.
• Recognise the differences and similarities with both multi professional communication and leadership within the Indian acute health care.
• Understand and recognise the public health and health promotion/education within the local Indian slum clinics and hospitals compared to the UK.

Although there have been many advances in India’s healthcare system, the majority of the population still experience poor health. This is due to a lack of awareness on health issues and the simple fact that many Indians cannot afford regular, if any, medical treatment. The project I am taking part in offers free, or highly subsidised, healthcare to local people from slum and rural communities. I will be working in PMGYs’ free medical camps in the slum communities, local clinics and throughout a network of hospitals of New Delhi, India.

Some of the areas in which I hope to gain experience in include Accident & Emergency, Anaesthetics, General Surgery, Maternity & Midwifery, General Nursing Practice, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Occupational Therapy, Ophthalmology, Pathology, Physiotherapy, and Radiology.

This will be an outstanding opportunity for myself as a student nurse, highly benefiting my education whilst helping those in need. However, this is a self-funded opportunity, I am aiming to raise £1,600 to cover the costs of my trip. The cost will include basic accommodation, flights, the project, visa, injections, and also some supplies for the local slum clinics, including diabetes test strips, calcium tablets, iron tablets, paracetamol and anti-histamine tablets.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, any donations are greatly appreciated whether it be a few pounds or medical supplies I can take over.

Gabrielle