All good things come to an end

As our journey in Panama comes to a close, I have only good things to say about the people I have encountered and the experience I have had. I have been lucky enough to have experienced many new "firsts" while in Panama, including witnessing the births of two baby boys, assisting with an STD check, and listening to a doctor spend nearly an hour solely on education regarding safe sexual practices. This last facet was very nice to see; in the United States, it would be nearly impossible to find a doctor who was willing to dedicate that much time just to teach a patient about condoms. The last few days spent in Buenos Aires and Chami have only reinforced the importance of cultural competency. Healthcare for the people of Panama is much different than in the States. I have had to adapt to my environment and work through the difficulties that arised. Despite this, I feel like my experiences have been extremely fulfilling. It has been enlightening to see how much responsibility the community nurse takes and how many duties she or he must perform. The scope of practice for a nurse is much wider here, yet the nurse does not seem to get overwhelmed. Perhaps we have much to learn as American nurses. I am so happy to have met so many kind and welcoming people and I hope that I will have an opportunity to revisit them and the communities again at some point. I have learned so much from this experience and will truly miss the people I have come to be friends with. I will always treasure the time I spent here.