by Wendy McKenzie
Rosemary Ritcey and Matsanna
The small African nation of Lesotho is the latest destination offered to the school of nursing’s international practice experience course.
It was the success of field schools in Thailand and Samoa that led to the addition of the new practice site, and a recommendation by Stephen Lewis during his visit to campus in January 2004.
“It was so important not to go there with the attitude of I’m going to make such a difference and really help the people’ and instead go there thinking that ‘these people and experiences are going to help me’ because that’s exactly what happens. Everything you see and do while you are there helps you learn and grow as a person – and as a nurse.” Rosemary Ritcey, third-year BSN student
Lesotho is a mountainous kingdom, completely surrounded by the country of South Africa and experiences many of the same health and economic challenges as any third world country. The first class to visit in 2008 set the frame work for subsequent visits. They collected input from community focus groups and conducted community assessments.
The next year, the nursing students spent four weeks in the villages of Leratong, Maseru, Ty and Morija, delivering culturally appropriate health care education that was meaningful to a wide range of community members.
Educational, appropriate and fun! Third-year BSN students Rosemary Ritcey, Caroline Boak, Lisa Gordon, Tanya Saran and Andrea Winter along with nursing instructor Wendy McKenzie taught basic oral hygiene and the rules of brushing teeth with a simple, easily remembered song. To teach respiratory hygiene and the concept of how germs pass from person to person the students placed coal dust on their hands to represent germs. A local hand clapping game showed just how germs could be passed around the community. The attendance at the weekly sessions grew from an initial 20 children to over 80 and included the elders of the community. The students were successful in their instruction as many children were observed over the following weeks coughing into their elbow rather than on their hands and on several occasions they were serenaded by Basuto voices singing “This is the way we brush our teeth….”
Piglets and seed potatoes were the gifts from nursing instructor Wendy MacKenzie and her students to the village of Teyateyaneng to assist with the community’s development projects.
Caroline Boak demonstrates Canadian first aid techniques during health week at the National University of Lesotho.
