Amy Koester

     My study abroad experience in Grenada has taught me a tremendous amount about how to engage individuals in conversation about their health. I learned how to format a conversation with someone in a way that would allow me to draw out the most pertinent information about their health and where to take the conversation from there. I derived this confidence from the repetition of taking individual’s blood pressure or blood glucose and asking them lifestyle questions based on the results of said tests. Repeating this process over and over gave me a tremendous amount of practice, and the additional challenge of cross cultural communication with the Grenadian people gives me assurance that I can confidently carry out a simple assessment of blood pressure and blood glucose and hold a patient interview based on the results of these tests.

     One of my favorite parts of the trip to Grenada was learning how to educate patients on performing self-breast exams. I felt a deep sense of accomplishment when I was able to explain the procedure to an individual and they could successfully demonstrate the procedure back to me. Although this might seem like a somewhat easy skill to communicate, I was so excited to be able to inform women and men on how they can take initiative for their own health and assist them in learning the simple steps required to be knowledgeable of their own bodies. Learning how to communicate this skill simply and clearly was also gave me a sense of proficiency and skill and I have gained a new passion for breast health. I have been subsequently dubbed “the breast girl,” but I am actually very fine with this nickname as it represents recognition for my new passion and how I have devoted time to educating the people I encountered in Grenada about this very pertinent subject.

     Upon returning to the US and reflecting on my time in Grenada, I have found that my short time there has greatly influenced my outlook on my future nursing career. I had not spent such an extended amount of time in the public health sphere and participating in the health fairs and the health symposium revealed to me that I very much enjoy the community environment and patient education aspects of public health nursing. Additionally, working alongside incredible individuals like Ms. Hopkins—the woman who organized the health fairs and most of our activities in Grenada—and seeing the bonds she has formed with the people of her community through her service to them as a nurse and as a neighbor, was truly inspiring. This study abroad trip may have been only ten days, but it has exposed me to many new and exciting career paths which I am excited to explore.