In September 2013, a small team of UCLA nursing students (2 APN, 1 MECN student) traveled to Biligi Riranga Hills (BR Hills), a small hill range in southeast Karnataka, India. The team collaborated with a non-profit organization, Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra (VGKK), which services the hill tribes in the neighboring regions. VGKK has had a presence in the BR Hills region for over 30 years and has focused its mission on the sustainability of its tribal people by providing medical care, education, vocational training, and nature preservation. In particular, curative medical care has been slowly gaining acceptance over the years as it has been incorporated with more traditional Ayurvedic treatment. (website: http://www.vgkk.org/br-hills.php). This 10-day mission was split into two parts: The first half consisted of visiting local villages and traveling with the Mobile Medical Unit. The purpose was to assess patients and refer them to the clinic or other units, depending on the acuity of their condition, which ranged from anemia and gastrointestinal diseases to mental illness. The second half consisted of assisting in their Primary Care Centers and First Referral Unit (Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care). The team worked with doctors, interns, and Auxilary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) for prenatal care and fetal assessments.
While the language barrier was a challenge, the team embraced the experience and learned much about India's healthcare system, culture, people, and food. It was truly an eye-opening and humbling experience.
While the language barrier was a challenge, the team embraced the experience and learned much about India's healthcare system, culture, people, and food. It was truly an eye-opening and humbling experience.
Left to Right: Jennifer Han, Samantha Tangchaiburana, Kristen Roman, Natalie Sanaee, Tony Ingoglia, Amanda Markusson, Scarlet Lee, Dr. Maria Elena Ruiz