Nursing Abroad: Sacred Valley of Peru Anthony DiMattia, BS, RN, CCRN Clinical Resource Nurse Highland Hospital of Rochester, NY

Who, What, When, How? May 25, 2011 – June 13, 2011 8 graduate nurses All URSON APNN grads Awamaki Health A branch of Awamaki, NGO Now Sacred Valley Health Co-founded by Keri Baker, URSON grad Inaugural trip “Test run” for future student-nurse trips

Arrival! Cusco City, Peru Hotel Niños Dogs everywhere! Dirt everywhere! Altitude! Hotel Niños Non-profit Funds a school for underprivileged children Provides education and meals to local kids Great food too!

Ollantaytambo “Ollyanta” Last stop before Machu Picchu Built on Inca ruins Host-families Accommodations Water, Electricity, “Bathrooms” The “Widowmaker” Dogs Everywhere! Dirt Everywhere! Altitude!

Healthcare in Ollantaytambo The first thing to remember about healthcare here: It is generally not sought. Care provided is BASIC Record-keeping Record keeping? Here’s a blank sheet of paper, write something Education, Education, Education! Access, access, access! Mobile healthcare Promontoras

How did we help? First: Triage Cleaning Remember: Dirt Everywhere! Locate “medical record” And grab a blank piece of paper Chief complaint (Always ask about “cough”) Height, Weight, Vitals

Outlying Clinics Serve very rural areas Run almost exclusively by Nurses Not always open or staffed Minimal resources Electricity is not guaranteed Language barrier Quechua vs. Spanish vs. Broken English

Outlying clinics: How did we help? Data collection/aggregation Governmental requirements Forms handwritten in triplicate Cleaning Triage “Medical record??” Patient-locating excursions Remember patients don’t seek healthcare… So we must go seek the patients

What I learned: We are very fortunate in the US Not everyone has access to even basic care Education makes a difference And it is better received than I expected