Summer Experience - Infant Care Project

Infant Care Project Abstract

laurengathany — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:05:48 +0000

In the summer of 2009 I participated in the Infant Care Program through the organization Volunteer Adventures. Located in Santiago, Chile, this program was associated with La Grada: Casa de Acogida Lactantes. La Grada is an orphanage for children birth through four years old who have been abandoned or removed from their homes for legal reasons. The infants are either adopted through the shelther or they enter the Chilean foster system once they are older.

La Grada consists of three sections which are divided by age. As a volunteer, I was placed in Secion de Bebes with the youngest infants. There were two nurseries within this section, which were also divided by age. I worked each day with six to nine infants, ranging in age from one to four months. My daily duties included assisting with multiple feedings as well as engaging and nurturing the babies. Throughout the program I was the only volunteer with this placement, which enabled me to be extremely involved and have a great deal of interaction with all of the orphans.

I truly loved the experience that I had in Santiago. It was an excellent opportunity to learn about a new culture as well as expand my knowledge of infant care.

3 month old girl at La Grada, June 2009

Check the Links section for the Volunteer Adventures and La Grada websites.

Universal Expression

laurengathany — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:05:02 +0000

1 month old boy at La Grada, June 2009

In the weeks before I began my volunteer work at La Grada infant orphanage, many of the youngest babies had been sick with the flu. Happily, by my arrival most had completely or almost completely recovered. There were a couple of infants, however, who were still experiencing uncomfortable symptoms and receiving extra medical attention. On one of my first days there, one of the “tias” (caretakers at the shelter) was administering this medication via a shot. As a future nurse, I took an interest and observed what she was doing. What struck me most, however, was not the simple and brief procedure, but rather the moments that followed.

I had only been in Santiago for a few days, and while I was already enjoying myself immensely, one challenge that I had discovered was communicating in Spanish. I had previously studied the language but because of the time since my classes and the frequent slang used by Chileans, my confidence level was quite low as I struggled to understand the words spoken to or around me.

So, in the moments following the shot, I did not comprehend the words that were spoken, but their sentiment was clear to me. As the infant screamed in displeasure, the tia bent down close to her and talked in a soothing, gentle tone. She softly rubbed the baby’s skin as she continued to offer her words of comfort and reassurance. I realized that despite my inability to translate the words, I understood this interaction. I understood that some things do not succumb to barriers of language, that the expression of love and compassion are universal.

Balance of Confidence and Awareness

laurengathany — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:04:05 +0000

3 month old girl at La Grada, July 2009

2 month old girl at La Grada, July 2009

On my first day as a volunteer at the shelter, I experienced feelings of uncertainty and discomfort. I was still learning what my role was and constantly thinking about whether or not I was doing what I was supposed to be doing. After this first nervous day, however, I decided to take on a different mindset. Of course, I continued to be considerate of what was expected and needed, and to act appropriately for my position. But while maintaining this respect, I also took more initiative. I found within me a confidence that I have built from my previous experience caring for infants. I knew that I had skills to offer, so I became determined to do just that. I was pleased to find that once I allowed myself to provide help in every way that I knew how, I began to enjoy my experience more and more. I was no longer nervous and the caretakers were appreciative that they did not have to tell me what to do for my every move.

Volunteering at the shelter taught me a lesson that will be extremely important to me as I continue my nursing studies and career. I learned that it is important to maintain a balance of confidence and awareness. As I begin to utilize the knowledge that I will gain in nursing school, I will need to believe in myself and my abilities. Along with this confidence, it will also be necessary to maintain high awareness to ensure that mistakes are minimized. As a volunteer, these infants were in my care, and as a nurse, my patients will be, and I feel that confidence and awareness will be key factors in providing the best care possible.

Jhon’s Adoption

laurengathany — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:03:02 +0000

4 month old and 1 month old boys at La Grada, June 2009

4 month old boy at La Grada, June 2009

It did not take me long volunteering at the shelter to feel an attachment to each of the infants with whom I worked, and to worry about how hard it would be when my days were no longer blessed with their toothless grins and tiny fingers wrapped around mine. I knew that adoptions were conducted through the shelter, and my heart went out to the workers and volunteers who had raised these babies and then had to pass them into the arms of someone else. I thought that it would be hard to let go, but one afternoon I was proven wrong.

I came into La Grada and was immediately aware of the excitement and anticipation in the air. A tia then told me the news: Jhon, a four month old from my nursery, had been adopted, and his new parents would be there soon. I suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion, but it was not sadness or worry about letting go. Rather, my heart swelled with joy. The rest of the day floated by as I continued the daily routine with the other babies and watched Jhon’s parents handle their new son. In my awestruck state, I realized that saying goodbye to the precious babies at La Grada was not the hard part of the job, it was the wonderful part.

My job at the orphanage was provide the love and care that these babies would be getting from their parents, but at the end of the day, I was not their mother. As I helped gather Jhon’s belongings to send him on his way, I learned about this different kind of love. One day, as a nurse, my job will be to provide medical care to infants, and to do so with love. But I will love them as a nurse, and when their time has come to leave my care, I will remember that I am just the beginning of their story.

The Appeal of this Experience

laurengathany — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:01:51 +0000

When I decided to participate in a volunteer experience, I discovered a great deal of options. I elected Volunteer Adventures’ Infant Care Project for various reasons. The first feature that drew me to this project was the involvement with children of such a young age. Throughout my Child Development studies I have learned about the importance of human love and care at the very beginning of life. To provide this for a group of innocent, orphaned babies was an opportunity that I was eager to take on. Additionally, I found the location of Santiago, Chile very appealing. Throughout my life I have done a great deal of traveling, but I had never been to South America. Going to a new city with a different culture was another thing that excited me about this project.

What I Learned About Myself

laurengathany — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:00:28 +0000

I mentioned earlier in this blog that I learned about the importance of being confident and aware in the work that I do. I feel that my time at La Grada in Santiago helped me to gain a level of confidence that I did not previously possess. As a volunteer who the organization knew was experienced, I was given a great deal of responsibility. Frequently I was left in charge of a group of six to nine infants, and it was my purpose to keep them cared for and happy. While the tias were available if I needed them, I found that I was quite capable on my own. I realized that throughout my years of babysitting, volunteering, and studying the development of young children I have gained an extensive knowledge base on which I can now rely. The women at the shelter frequently expressed appreciation for the care that I provided, and I felt very proud. I learned that I should take initiative and act upon my knowledge.

I look forward to nursing school because through further studies and experiences I will be able to extend my knowledge and skills of medicine, adding to my confidence and the extent to which I am capable of caring for children.

Impact on Short-term and Long-term Education Choices

laurengathany — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:59:11 +0000

I have already completed my undergraduate studies at Vanderbilt and will be beginning at the Vanderbilt School of Nursing in the fall. I majored in Child Development and will specialize in Pediatric Primary Care as well as returning to add a specialty in Neonatology. Throughout the past few years I have participated in a wide variety of work and volunteer experiences, including serving as a rocker in the NICU at Centennial Women’s Hospital, and all of these have lead me to establish my educational plan. My time in Chile definitely strengthened this plan and made me feel even more certain of my love of children and infants, and my desire to work as a nurse with this age group.

Affect on Career/Graduate Plans

laurengathany — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:57:45 +0000

Before this experience, my graduate and career plan was to earn my specialty in pediatrics, begin practicing as a nurse, and return to graduate school after a couple years of experience to earn my specialty in neonatology. Working at La Grada increased my drive to fulfill this plan. I absolutely loved every moment that I spent caring for the infants. It was difficult knowing that the children were orphaned, and it will be difficult knowing that the children I will work with in the future will be dealing with a variety of medical problems, however, I look forward to facing this challenge and helping better the lives of more children and infants in need.

Encounters/Experiences

laurengathany — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:56:38 +0000

In Chile, I felt that I was treated well and and welcomed into the country. One negative experience that did take place occurred almost immediately after my arrival, and happened because I was clearly a foreigner. Before traveling, I had been informed by my program advisor to be aware of scams at the airport. My transportation had been covered, and I was told that I did not need to tip anyone involved. However, a man who stated he was from the company and helped load my bags into the van not only asked that I tip him, but told me an amount that would be appropriate. I had prepared for my trip by becoming generally aware of the currency conversion, and I knew that what he had suggested was far more than a tip should be. I told him I was sorry, but that I would not be providing a tip and faced no further trouble. This experience made me realize the importance of being a prepared and aware traveler, particularly when you are in a new culture and in situations where you may be an easy target, such as international arrivals at the airport.

Throughout my time in Chile I had many positive experiences, one of which stood out to me. During an orientation, I was talking with my advisor from the program as well as the woman in charge of the shelter. I explained that I was a student at Vanderbilt University, and told them that I was beginning nursing school there in the fall. My advisor explained in spanish to the head of the shelter that Vanderbilt is a very prestigous school. She seemed very impressed and told me how happy they were to have such a smart person volunteer for them. She asked about staying in touch in the future because she knew that I would have connections and access to a great deal of resources. Education has always been very important to me, and I was struck by the immediate respect I was given based upon my attendence at Vanderbilt. I feel very privileged to attend such a wonderful institution and am proud of the hard work that I have completed as a student and of the positive impression that I have earned.

Preconceived Notions

laurengathany — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:50:42 +0000

One pre-conceived notion about Santiago, Chile that I had before traveling there was that it would not be a very developed city and would not be as technologically advanced as I was used to in cities across America and even in Europe. While I did find this to be true in a couple of ways, for example outdated plumbing systems, overall I was surprised by how advanced the city was. The metro system in particular stood out to me because it was very clean, well run, and efficient.

Another expectation, or worry even, that I had before beginning this project was about the facilities at the orphanage. I anticipated a room filled with beds, minimal supplies, and potentially poor health conditions. Of course La Grada was a shelter and not the ideal situation for an infant, but overall I was incredibly impressed by the facilities. They had plentiful supplies from blankets to clothing to bottles. Also, while there were a fair number of infants there, they each seemed to receive personal attention. The tias were extremely sweet and clearly cared for all of the babies lovingly. La Grada is an amazing place where babies are not only provided with basic care, but are nurtured in a manner that will help their development immensely. I feel so blessed to have been a part of this organization and I hope to continue a relationship with the shelter and provide assistance throughout my studies and career as a nurse.