Jacksonville, AL – As originally reported by Brett Buckner with JSU’s media department, ten Jacksonville State University nursing students recently returned from a nine-day study abroad experience in Guatemala, where they provided healthcare services in communities with limited access to medical care while gaining clinical and cultural experience outside a traditional classroom setting.
Led by Assistant Professor of Nursing Dr. Danyel Munster, the group worked alongside healthcare providers in rural communities, assisting with patient assessments, medication distribution, health education and other basic clinical services.
Students encountered families with limited access to running water, routine medical care and treatment for chronic health conditions. In one community, the group helped provide care to more than 50 families in a single day.
For 22-year-old nursing student Lola Walk of Guntersville, the experience offered a different perspective on both healthcare access and patient care.
“In Guatemala, we met families who didn’t have access to clean water, routine medical care, or treatment for chronic illnesses,” Walk said. “Many of the conditions we saw could have been prevented or managed with regular healthcare access.”
Walk said the experience also demonstrated how healthcare providers can connect with patients despite language and cultural differences.
“Their gratitude reminded me that compassionate care goes far beyond spoken language,” she said.
According to Walk, translators helped students communicate with patients, while physicians working with the group provided guidance and instruction throughout the clinical experience.
“Kindness, compassion, and gratitude didn’t require words,” Walk said. “We had incredible translators who helped us communicate, and the doctors on site were so patient and willing to teach us throughout the experience.”
The trip was supported in part through the JSU Foundation’s “Gamecocks in Guatemala” initiative, with alumni and supporters contributing toward the study abroad experience.
Dr. Tracey D. Matthews, dean of JSU’s College of Health Professions and Wellness, said experiences in resource-limited settings can help prepare nursing students to work with a wide range of patients after graduation.
“The experiences our students gained in Guatemala will influence the way they practice nursing for years to come,” Matthews said. “Through caring for patients in resource-limited settings, they developed resilience, strengthened their cultural competence, and gained a deeper appreciation for the universal language of compassion.”
Matthews said the experience also reflects the School of Nursing’s mission of preparing graduates to provide care to vulnerable populations.
Munster said one of the benefits of the trip was watching students learn to adapt to unfamiliar circumstances and work through challenges.
“It was important for the students to step outside their comfort zones,” Munster said. “That’s where real growth happens. They faced a lot of challenges on the trip, but I got to see them work through those moments and gain confidence along the way.”
The students returned May 29. Munster said they came home with a greater understanding of caring for patients from different backgrounds, including people without health insurance and those who do not speak the same language as their healthcare providers.
“The students came back saying they have a much better understanding of how to care for different patient populations, especially those without health insurance or those who speak a different language,” Munster said. “The experience empowered them to care for anyone, anytime, anywhere.”
Senior Harrison Millander, 22, of Hokes Bluff said he was particularly interested in visiting areas outside Guatemala’s tourist destinations and learning how residents live.
“Seeing how welcoming everyone was and how appreciative they were for our help and guidance really made the trip worth it, and I would do it again 100 times,” Millander said.
Millander said the experience also highlighted differences in access to healthcare. Although healthcare services may be available without direct cost to patients, he said limited funding and resources can make receiving care difficult for some residents.
“In America it can be quite easy to just run to a clinic real quick for a sore throat, but in Guatemala sometimes they can go months without seeing a healthcare professional,” he said.
Beyond the clinical work, students experienced Guatemalan culture, practiced speaking Spanish and developed relationships with classmates and residents. Millander, who celebrated his birthday during the trip, said the experience also resulted in new friendships.
“There is a whole world out there that can use your help and give you help,” Millander said. “Sometimes we may get in a little bubble with ourselves, but by going on that trip, I made lifelong friendships and was given the best opportunity of my life.”
For Walk, the trip reinforced the importance of adapting patient care to individual circumstances and cultural backgrounds.
“Nursing is a universal language of compassion,” Walk said. “No matter where you are in the world, every patient wants to feel heard, respected, and cared for.”
Munster credited university administrators, donors and others who supported the program with making the international experience possible.
“We’re very thankful for everyone who supported the effort,” she said. “Our administration fully supported us, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have been able to support our students in Guatemala.”
