MELISSA AT SPANISH LOOKOUT CLINIC

During my two weeks of nursing observation, I was blessed to spend time at both the Spanish Lookout Clinic and La Loma Luz Adventist Hospital, both of which gave me a unique look at healthcare from a Christian perspective. The clinic in Spanish Lookout is run by the Mennonite church and is staffed entirely by Mennonite women who have been trained as EMTs and midwives. During my time at Spanish Lookout, I saw the benefits of having a community-based clinic and the absolute necessity that speaking the vernacular is in healthcare. My supervisors, Mathilda and Aganetha, allowed me to help with prenatal checkups, counting and packaging pills in the pharmacy, and even collect specimens for Friday morning labs. I was so encouraged to see the compassion shown by these women who were offering healthcare to not only the Mennonites, but the native Belizeans as well. For my second week, I was blessed to spend three days observing and helping at La Loma Luz Adventist Hospital in Santa Elena. Spending mornings assisting in the vitals room gave me some great practice at taking blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and weight, and I was blessed to have the opportunity to observe four surgeries while I was there.