Nursing students and Jill Hayes, R.N., Ph.D., visit with the medicine man from Chinle Hospital (middle) in front of the hogan located on the hospital grounds. The hogan is a traditional home used for ceremonies and rituals requested by the patients in the facility.
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Nursing students from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio spent 10 days working on a Navaho Reservation in Arizona during May, participating in the “Experience in Cultural Healing” elective course. Their job was to serve and learn in the Chinle Hospital and the Pinon and Tsaile clinics.

“While we arrived expecting the professionalism of the staff, we were surprised at the warm welcome we received from the health care staff and the people of the communities we served,” Kerry “Kat” Tighe, nursing student, said. “That welcome and the superb health care standards have combined to provide us an experience that we will never forget.”

The group of 12 students, which included nine rising third-semester generic students, two licensed vocational nurses moving into their third semester and one rising fourth-semester student, earned three credits for the summer. The students participated in all types of clinical settings including inpatient hospital, outpatient clinics, rural remote clinics and in-home care.

Professionalism brought opportunities
“They performed in an exemplary fashion and presented themselves as professionals, fully engaged in all learning experiences,” Jill Hayes, R.N., Ph.D., associate dean for student affairs in the School of Nursing, said. “As a result of their performance they had opportunities that no other students I have taken there had.”

The students learned about the history and culture of the Navajos by taking short excursions to historical sites. Shown are (left to right) Kimberly Jones, Susie Stuart, Avneet Singh and Nathan Jones on a hike to Spider Rock.

In addition to partaking in clinical settings, the students observed health care delivery and participated in interactions with clients. They also met with community leaders at the reservation’s Chapter House.

“We give heartfelt thanks to the staff and people of the communities we served for a very memorable and meaningful learning experience,” Tighe said.