Report on Cameroon / by Jan Nick, RN, LLUSN faculty

It all started when we boarded Swiss Air en route to Douala, Cameroon.  We arrived at 10 pm surprised at the blast of warm air awaiting us in the airport terminal.  Nine students and two nursing faculty traveled during Spring break 2009 to Africa with the objective of participating in a week long health clinic at Buea Adventist Clinic and Hospital.  The students were responsible for community education, while Jan Nick, RN (LLU School of Nursing), and Krista Loveman, RN (LLUCH Perinatal Institute/Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic) gave a week-long workshop to the clinic RNs and visiting midwives on OB topics.  Dr Nick and Ms Loveman also visited the University of Buea, where they gave talks to the nursing and medical students.  

Memorable moments Cameroon included participating in what the students called a capstone experience Sabbath afternoon --visiting an orphanage, and watching the children jumping up and down playing with the balloons the team brought.  The children responded by singing a thank you song loudly while one of the orphan children beat out the tempo on an African drum.