CSM Nursing Students, Faculty Travel to Dominican Republic for Service Learning
Thirteen College of Saint Mary nursing students and two faculty members traveled to the Dominican Republic this summer for a study abroad and service-learning experience. The eight-day trip focused on providing health services to underserved communities and learning about the culture and history of the country.
“It was a great way for the nursing students to see firsthand the impact that their future profession can have on people’s lives,” said Dr. Tracey Toney, who led the trip along with instructor Alejandra Gonzalez-Cabrera.
The nursing students, who were from every level at CSM, included: Madeline Breathnach ‘23, Ashleigh Steffen ‘23, Beatriz Gabino-Maganda ‘24, Whitney Emory ‘24, Gabrielle Felker ‘24, McKenna Pettepier ‘24, Danielle Barkhurst ‘24, Chloe Madigan ‘25, Lauren Anderson ‘24, Megan Hardisty ‘24, Phoenix Hernandez-Rodriguez ‘25, Nevaeh Nielsen ‘25, and DiAuvion Conner ‘24.
The CSM group worked with the nonprofit organization ADESJO, a group of health professionals who help communities become sustainable and help themselves through community development projects, such as building houses, delivering healthcare services to the underserved with poor access to healthcare and creating nurseries or greenhouses.
The students gain experience practicing their nursing skills – vital signs, blood sugar checks, weights, feeding clients, and therapeutic communication – at the San Antonio Nursing Home in San Jose de Ocoa. They also set up a rural health clinic at a community center in La Cienega and walked from home to home providing health screenings to residents. The students helped care for 100 community members.
“The experience was not just educational but appeared to be a transformative experience for students and faculty,” Toney said. “This entire trip created a perfect opportunity for faculty to take learning out of the classroom and experience it in a different country.
“Providing students the opportunity to take study abroad service-learning trips like this one is so important and needed. It truly can make a positive impact on students, faculty and the communities that we are able to provide with service,” she added.
In addition to providing healthcare services, the group toured Los Tres Ojos Caves, Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo, a local hospital, rehabilitation center and laboratory/diagnostic center of San Jose de Ocoa, took in Dominican dancing, indulged in the cuisine, and relaxed at Palmar de Ocoa beach.
This was the CSM Nursing Department’s second trip to the Dominican Republic. The first was in 2019. Toney is planning a trip to London or a return to the Dominican Republic in the summer of 2024.
