Showing Up Fully: My First Day in Panama














 Showing up fully as a nursing student on this mission means giving my best effort and being present for my team and the community we are serving. When we go into the community, I will participate in tasks such as taking blood pressure, conducting surveys, and speaking with community members while remaining enthusiastic and engaged. I am bringing a positive attitude because I want this experience to be meaningful. A positive mindset helps support teamwork and allows us to provide better care. A negative attitude could affect the team and the patients we serve. I will take ownership of my learning by communicating with patients, asking questions, and staying on top of assignments on D2L. I want to model professionalism by being a team player and using clear communication. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve people in Panama while learning about their culture and experiencing healthcare in a different environment.

Xoxo 💋 


Comments

  1. Felecia SernaMarch 21, 2026 at 5:58 AM

    A positive mindset is so important. I so agree that one negative attitude can bring the whole team down.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nursing Instructor LGMarch 21, 2026 at 6:10 PM

    Great pictures! It was a long first day but I can see that you were open to learning and always bring a positivity into a situation. That is a skill that I hope you continue to use in all situations, but particularly in nursing and in areas with a team as this one is important. Being kind, respectful and being adaptable helps build trust with patients, team members and ultimately helps make better outcomes.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 5: Developing as a Future Professional Nurse

Image
  Through this experience, I feel that I am becoming a more compassionate and adaptable nurse. Working in a setting with limited supplies has helped me develop a deeper appreciation for patient care and the importance of staying focused on the patient’s needs regardless of the circumstances. Even with limited resources, I made sure to treat every patient with respect and compassion. Today I worked in triage and also served as a runner. Although it was challenging at times, I wanted to make sure that patients were seen by a doctor before they had to leave, which motivated me to keep working hard.  I felt most confident when I was placed in triage. Initially I thought it would be straightforward since I would be taking vital signs, but I realized that I needed to take blood pressure manually, which is something I had not done in a while. At first I felt unsure, but I reminded myself that this is a skill I have practiced many times before. By staying calm and focused, I was able ...
Read more

Day 4: Culture & Global Health

Image
  Today I observed how different the healthcare system in Panama is compared to the United States. In the U.S., many people have easier access to services such as dental care and common medications like acetaminophen. In the community we served, access to these resources is much more limited, and people may only receive care when volunteer clinics are available.  Limited resources also influenced how care was delivered. In the dental clinic, we had to clean and reuse instruments because there were not enough supplies for every patient. We had to wait for them to dry before using them again, which slowed the process and caused longer wait times.  One assumption I had was that we would have enough resources to help everyone, but that was not the case. For example, the dental team could only see about twenty patients due to limited time and supplies.  This experience expanded my understanding of global health and reminded me how fortunate we are in the United States. A ...
Read more