Day 7

Today was our last day full of emersion in a different culture and community. I have learned and grown so much within this past week. I think the most important concept I will take back with me is that everyone has a story and you never know what that is. Because of this, it is important to always treat everyone with respect, regardless of how they are treating you (to a certain extent) and their compliance as a patient. What may seem like a non-compliant patient could really be something totally different, which is another thing I will take back with me. I have also experienced some things that were out of my comfort zone, such as being immersed in a completely different culture. I grew up in Bloomington, Illinois, where there is not a lot of variation in culture. I have not strayed much from this area, so being involved in this experience was definitely out of my comfort zone. Another experience I had out of my comfort zone was speaking with a particular patient who was involved in things I strongly disagreed with. While this will occur many times during my career as a nurse, this was the first time I had to experience it.

Being educated here will help me to improve the health of others throughout my nursing career. This experience taught me patience, tolerance, and a compassion to understand those of a different culture to be able to help them the best I can. The donations our group was able to bring to the community will also be able to help those in need, which can potentially improve their health status.

After this week, I believe in ‘Southern Hospitality’ to the fullest. Everyone was so kind, open, and accommodating to us. I don’t think I have every had so many doors held open for me before this. Within the Cherokee community, having them share their experiences was extremely generous. They did not have to do that with us. The fact that so many were open to telling us their story or explaining their beliefs was humbling.

It is apparent this culture has a significant issue with addiction, both drug and alcohol. To keep their community healthy, that needs to be a focus for them. The community is well on its way to helping with these issues by being aware and building a couple of different clinics. It is important for the health of future generations for these acts to stop now because it starts an endless spiral effect. If a child sees their parent or siblings doing something, especially without repercussions, it is likely they will think it is okay and keep the effects going to their offspring.