A Month as a “Nursing” Student – Montevideo Summer 22

Since I decided on ACU, I knew I wanted to study abroad. A couple of my family members and several of my close friends have studied abroad, and so consequently I had heard dozens of stories of the once-in-a-lifetime experiences and perspectives gained only through living and studying in a completely different culture. Thus, I had some expectations, but still, I really had no idea what all I was about to learn in Montevideo, Uruguay, and how it would affect me.

            In the Global Healthcare program, we toured 7 different Uruguayan hospitals, some of which were public, some private, and some nonprofit independent. All these hospitals were different not only in their appearance but also in their care, priorities, and specialties, and still, none of them resembled a typical US hospital. During these hospital tours, we scrubbed in and got to observe a gallbladder removal and knee surgery, watched a cast be made, and met dozens of doctors, nurses, and a speech-language pathologist. We also visited two nursing schools and practiced a simulation, IV installations, and resuscitation. We spent about 3 weeks in Uruguay, and one week in Argentina where we met with an Argentina doctor and physical therapist who taught us about their healthcare system.

Coming into study abroad, I honestly knew little about free healthcare, universal healthcare, public healthcare, insurance, government involvement, and everything in between. I soon came to realize how complicated creating a healthcare system is, and it is far from a simple fix. In our first classroom activity, we tried to create the “perfect” healthcare system. My team wanted one that would support and benefit everyone with little to no opportunities for the system to be abused. We wanted it to have high and competitive quality care and to be extremely affordable. I soon came to realize that there is not a clear solution, and every time we found a solution to one problem, it brought a dozen more challenges and questions. Starting a course like this, made me much more open-minded when learning about Uruguay’s healthcare system. The biggest takeaways I have from learning about global healthcare that has changed my idea of healthcare organization and delivery are patient prioritization and the effects of cultural competence. I also learned that my biases are more like a filter through which I view everything. Coming into study abroad, I figured I had some implicit biases, but I didn’t think they would make much of a difference in my perception of Uruguay’s healthcare system. However, this journey has revealed to me that even the slightest tint can affect how I view everything. It can affect how I viewed the medical staff, the facilities, the patient care, the priorities of other healthcare systems, and the nation. I learned that the way to “rid” yourself of these biases is not a simple one-time fix. Rather it’s gradual and with each new experience, perspective, and person you encounter you become more aware and “shed,” if you will, an assumption you previously had. I am extremely grateful for the global healthcare course and feel encouraged now to take on each new cultural experience with an open mind, eager to break maybe a bias or two.

Finally, the very best gift studying in Montevideo gave me was friendships. I remember the first day in the nursing program, and even though I am a speech pathology major, Dr. Naldoza and the nursing students instantly made me feel welcome. and eventually (as cheesy as it sounds) we became a “family.” When you live, explore, and travel together, you are bound to experience unexpected bumps such as missing buses, miscommunication due to a language or cultural barrier, ATM issues, and more but you grow so close with the community around you through the fantastic highs and occasional lows. This group supported each other, always caring and looking out for one another, and people I truly admire and have learned from. I am so grateful for all the students, the Naldoza family, and the beautiful impacts they have each had on me.

“Boat ride in Iguazu Falls, one of the 7 natural wonders of the world”