Sanford nurse begins expertise truthful at hospital in Costa Rica

When Jackie Gibbons discovered she had been chosen to be a part of Sanford’s World Nursing Mentor Program final 12 months, she couldn’t wait to get began.

“I used to be actually thinking about studying in regards to the well being care tradition in one other a part of the world,” mentioned Gibbons, a registered nurse and medical educator at Sanford Bemidji.

Turning into a worldwide nursing mentor

Her yearlong project was to work with nurses at Hospital Metropolitano in Costa Rica. She had a weekly Zoom name with Felipe Sánchez, her counterpart in Costa Rica, first to find out areas through which she may make the most important impression, after which to execute a plan to learn all the Hospital Metropolitano’s nurses. They determined to host a expertise truthful.

“I’m an educator. That’s my position, and so having individuals thinking about training is fairly thrilling,” mentioned Gibbons. “This was all new for them, and they also have been excited to study. It’s actually enjoyable when you have got an viewers you can educate to, and that actually needs to be there.”

In August of 2022, Gibbons traveled to Costa Rica to host the truthful, bringing provides resembling faux model pores and skin, faux blood and even pool noodles to assist nurses follow their IV expertise. She additionally helped implement new insurance policies for higher affected person care on the Sanford World Clinic associate hospital.

“We did a nasogastric tube coverage, we did an intravenous coverage, and the most important coverage we labored on was the requirements of take care of the emergency division, which included triage as nicely,” mentioned Gibbons.

Experiences of a lifetime

Her expertise wasn’t all about work nonetheless. Gibbons additionally bonded with Sánchez and his household. The 2 have struck up a friendship, regardless of being roughly 2,500 miles aside.

“His mother invited us over for dinner and he or she gave me a portray that she painted,” mentioned Gibbons. “Felipe and his household took me up within the mountains to see a volcano.”

In flip, Sánchez additionally visited Bemidji to study from the specialists at Sanford Health. He was capable of take pleasure in some leisure time throughout his journey as nicely, even seeing ice and snow for the very first time.

“He was overjoyed, actually, and I advised him he has to return again and go to, and he won’t come in the summertime. He needs to return within the winter,” mentioned Gibbons with a smile.

‘The spotlight of my profession’

Whereas her time as a worldwide nursing mentor is now over, Gibbons remains to be involved with Sánchez and the hospital. The tasks that she helped begin proceed with out her. In truth, Hospital Metropolitano is already planning their subsequent expertise truthful, which they may now be working themselves.

Whereas her efforts over the previous 12 months helped create higher take care of the nurses she mentored in Costa Rica, Gibbons believes she acquired simply as a lot as she gave prior to now 12 months. She encourages different nurses to use for future packages as nicely at Sanford World Clinic areas resembling Ghana and New Zealand.

“This system far exceeded my expectations,” Gibbons mentioned. “It fully reignited my ardour for nursing. It simply blew my thoughts. Undoubtedly the spotlight of my profession.”

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Emergency Medicine, Nursing and Nursing Support, People & Culture, World Clinic