RemedyNow encourages employees to make a difference in the lives of others, at work and beyond. The following blog entry is written by Nurse Practioner Kristin Wroblewski about how she shares her time and medical expertise beyond her RemedyNow patients.

Each year dozens of medical professionals spend their time volunteering in a clinic in the southern most region in Belize known as the Toledo district. This area has the poorest population with the fewest resources available for the people.

I have had the privilege of working with an organization that has spent the last 15+ years matching volunteers with people to serve this area known as Hillside Health International. Last month I made my third trip to the Toledo district. Each visit, I’m faced with new challenges and amazing people to meet. My main purpose of this trip is to lead a group of local college students to learn about medicine and the nurse practitioner profession. For many students, this is their first medical trip outside of the country.

As a nurse practitioner and educator, leading students to an underserved population in Central America with fewer resources than found in the US is a great opportunity for students to tap into their undiscovered assessment skills. The most common medical conditions are like those here in the USA. To list a few: upper respiratory infections, asthma, coughing, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family planning, low back, and neck pain. Due to hospital limitations and minimal technology that can be utilized, the students are somewhat forced to think outside of the box refining each student’s medical assessment skills. For example, a spacer used for asthma medication can be created with duct tape and a plastic soda bottle.

This experience has made me appreciate how far US medicine has come and all the available services that we now have access to. In addition, each experience has also helped me personally improve my assessment skills and perfect my treatment plans.

Dr. Kristin S. Wroblewski, DNP, RN, APNP, FNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner, RemedyNow LLC
Assistant Professor of Nursing, Alverno College