Nurses serve in Solomons
Anastasia Benton
Public relations editorial intern
Avondale College of Higher Education
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia
A partnership between Atoifi Adventist Hospital and Avondale has seen Faculty of Nursing and Health staff members and students return to the Solomon Islands.
Sonja Frischknecht (centre) hopes the partnership between Atoifi and Avondale develops because “we can give more when we know more.” The key: building relationships. “You can do that with strangers, but it’s better doing it with friends.” Credit: Tamera Gosling.
Lecturer Sonja Frischknecht, associate lecturer Kerry Miller and seven final-year students—Matthew Barbosa, Jennifer Clift, Lucy Galeano, Jemma Gosling, Jay Pajares, Amanda Pol and Emily Walsh—gave up their holidays to serve at the Malaita-based hospital, October 2-14. They also raised $575 to donate 24 fob watches to each student graduating from Atoifi’s School of Nursing.
The purpose of the trip: to serve as a clinical learning experience in a developing country and as an introduction to medical-focused mission.
Sonja wrote a thesis for a Master of Nursing (Honours), from which she graduated with first class honours through the University of Southern Queensland, based on the experiences of students who visited Atoifi this past year. Her research identified six themes describing perceived areas of learning. The themes are: collaboration; emerging confidence; appreciation; adaptability and creativity; passion for increased faith; and cultural considerations. “I felt working overseas in a developing country would be a good learning experience,” says Sonja. “The research validates that.”
Matthew Barbosa and Emily Walsh concur. “I got to do things you can’t do here,” says Emily. “I helped deliver a baby [Emily says second-year students are expected to deliver 20], I took someone’s blood, I made a few diagnoses and I prescribed drugs.” Matthew also got his “hands dirty” scrubbing in to help with surgery.
Morale at the hospital and in the community increases when the students visit, says Sonja. “It’s an injection of outside connection, enthusiasm and overdue encouragement in a professional and personal sense.”
Despite the challenges of operating a hospital in a remote area of a developing country, “the Atoifi community serves with joy,” says Sonja. “We think we’re going over there to give to them, but we’ve been blessed the most,” says Matthew.—with Brenton Stacey, public relations officer, Avondale College of Higher Education