BY BILL PHILLIPS
Second year nursing students at the College of New Caledonia (CNC) are hoping to collect 120 children’s flip flops by April 20 to give to orphans in India.
On April 25, those same students will embark on a five-week clinical practicum at a local hospital in Bangalore.
“It’s an opportunity for us to expand our learning further than Prince George and get immersed in how other cultures develop their health care,” said Michaela Fedoruk, one of the students who will making the trip. “We get so caught up in how things are done … so getting to experience that different culture will really expand our learning and help us in clinical and working trials.”
The students are going to Bangalore, India and will be working at in 3,000-bed hospital. They will be rotating through different parts of the hospital including general wards, the medical intensive care unit, and the surgical intensive care unit.
“What I’m most excited to learn is the totally new health care system,” said Maria Christie, who is also making the trip. “It’s such a bigger unit (than Prince George), so much more specialized. I’m excited to work alongside nurses and faculty who are so specialized.”
For both of them, it will be their first trip to India.
“I have never left North America, this is my first time,” said Christie. “That is an exciting feature in itself. To not only be working there, but not have any other supports there is a good challenge for us students.”
Collecting flip-flops is a way for the local students to thank the community in India for having them there.
While there, students will also visit orphanages on a weekly basis and donate the flip flops to House of Hope, a safe place for orphaned children affected by HIV. Educational activities and supplies, colouring books, stickers, bubbles, small toys and Canadian souvenirs will also be accepted.
“They need the flip-flops,” said Fedoruk. “It’s also just fun to have different colours, glittery ones for the kids. We’re also collecting like stickers, colouring books and school supplies, just to make a contribution to their lives in any way we can.”
Flip-flops can be dropped off at the CNC library.