“So you wanna be a” is a segment on CollegeWanderlust where I interview individuals with interesting jobs/careers.
This article is over Ivanna Figueroa who is a Ward Nurse with Mercy Ships on the Africa Mercy. She has shared her experience as traveling nurse and gave advice for future or current nursing students.
©2016 Mercy Ships Photo Credit Justine Forrest; Dressings Team
Where did you go to school to be a nurse?
I attended Russell Sage College for a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. It’s a small college for women just outside of Albany, NY.
Would you recommend that others go to that school?
I loved my experience. It was the quintessential “college” experience for me. Women seem to think that university without men would feel like boarding school, but it’s the opposite. Students still live a normal life outside of classes and interact with men in the community or at nearby universities. The biggest difference is that classes and lectures are open, no-pressure, and no need to impress or compete with men places. I would highly recommend it for women who are looking to broaden their views and grow into their womanhood. My time at Russell Sage truly shaped me as a woman of influence.
Was there a certain semester that was tougher than the others?
My fourth semester was incredibly challenging because I was taking a full class load and each class had a lab which is in additional to the lecture time. It was so hard to keep up with assignments for 5 classes and 4 labs.
What advice would you give to nursing students?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and look dumb. As a student, I was very shy in class. I wasn’t the most disciplined student and when I’d get behind in classwork, I thought my questions would reveal that I hadn’t finished the chapter or studied hard enough. Looking back, I can see how much more I would have understood the material if I had engaged in class discussions and asked the questions I was thinking.
What exactly do you do at your job?
Currently, I am a nurse working with Mercy Ships. This organization runs hospital ships that go to a different country each year to provide free surgery and surgical training to poor countries with undeveloped heath systems. I am a volunteer and my friends and family sponsor me to work on this ship full-time. I wear lots of hats; nursing on this ship isn’t cut and dry. We have several units, an ICU, 5 operating rooms, recovery room, lab, pharmacy, and radiology. All on the ship! I work as a nurse in the hospital wards taking care of women recovering from obstetric fistula. These women delivered a baby without medical intervention because they could not afford it or get to it in time. The babies get stuck inside the birth canal, and this cuts off circulation to the tissue between the vagina and the bladder. The baby always dies in this circumstance, and the mother continually leaks urine out of her vagina and is unable to control it. I am so privileged to take care of these strong women.
Photo Credit Justine Forrest, Ivanna Figueroa (USA) Ward Nurse
How did you find that job?
I heard about it at a conference and had a friend who had worked on board for several years. Nurses from all over the U.S.A. and all over the world work together here.
What countries have you visited while on the boat?
The ship has been in Madagascar for 2 “field services” (9-10 month session). We will be going to Benin in West Africa in August. I’ve also been to South Africa and the Canary Islands with [the] ship because that’s where the ship maintenance is completed between field services.
What is the biggest difference in your job vs. a “normal” nursing job?
Great question. I work with nurses from so many countries and we all have different terminology and different accents. That can make communicating difficult and hilarious! At home, many hospitals are understaffed and have a lot of bureaucracy. The hospital on the ship provides ample opportunity for nurses to spend lots of time with patients and really give great care. Another big difference? All the patients stay in the same room! Privacy is not nearly as big a deal in Africa as it is at home! Each ward has 20 patients laying side by side. Some wards even have men and women together.
Anything else you would like to say to nursing students?
The world is your oyster… as soon as you put in some time. As soon as you get a good foundation for a year or two as a nurse, you can go anywhere and do anything. Nursing fits in with business, politics, global health, education, and on and on. No matter what your skill set, there is an aspect of nursing that will allow you to shine your brightest. It doesn’t always come at first, but with time.
For more information about her job check out www.mercyships.org or check out her blog at provocativejoy.com
