Donation from Dr. Vanessa Jones improves patient and physician experience.
The purchase was made possible through a donation from Dr. Vanessa Jones, Professor of Nursing. In June 2015, Dr. Jones led her first group of nursing students from Valdosta State University to rural Nicaragua, where they worked in the small community of Los Robles. While in Los Robles, Dr. Jones spoke extensively with Dr. Alfredo Alaniz, the general practitioner who treats hundreds of patients each month. Dr. Alaniz had expressed to Dr. Jones that, although the majority of his patients are pregnant women, he lacked the exam equipment needed to adequately treat them.
Between her first Comunidad Connect trip to Nicaragua in 2015, and her second in summer 2016, Dr. Jones donated the funds necessary for Comunidad Connect to purchase a brand new exam table, designed to meet medical standards for gynecological procedures. Dr. Jones elaborates on her decision to donate: �As a nurse practitioner with a clinical focus on women's health, I understand that certain equipment provides a better experience for both patient and clinician during a women's health exam. The need for a gynecological bed was brought to my attention the first year I brought nursing student to Los Robles, and I felt led to donate one to the clinic for the ladies in the community.�
Starting this month, the table is being used on a daily basis to provide a comfortable space for women coming to the clinic for their regular pregnancy visits. Theresa Bailey, a Princeton in Latin America fellow working out of the Sustainable and Preventative Health Clinic, explains: �The new gynecological bed will allow us to expand our programming in our rural health clinic. From pap smears to routine check-ups, the women of Los Robles now have better access to quality care.�
Before the construction of Comunidad Connect�s Sustainable and Preventative Health Clinic in early 2015, the families of Los Robles had very limited healthcare access; the nearest clinic was over an hour away, and often understaffed and undersupplied.
About Comunidad Connect
Comunidad Connect is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization working in Nicaragua to promote sustainable community development, cultural exchange, and civic engagement through programs in rural healthcare, water access, youth development, and service learning. To learn more visit: http://comunidadconnect.org
Nicaragua Community Health Connection is a collaborative effort between Comunidad Connect, Emory University�s Social Enterprise @ Goizueta, and numerous academic partners in North America and Nicaragua that cultivates resources to counteract poverty and provide healthcare in isolated communities by investing in social capital and local leadership. To learn more visit: http://www.nicachc.org/
NCHC Mission:
To connect committed individuals and institutions with Nicaraguan counterparts to improve social and economic well-being in rural Nicaragua.
NCHC Vision:
To develop and implement a replicable model of preventive and sustainable healthcare in rural Nicaragua.
