Comments about ‘Nursing students get intensive lessons in Vietnam’

Why don't they help those in the US? Our country has a lot of people with medical needs. I'm sick of these stories of the good Dr's and nurses off to other countries when our own medical system is in shambles and so many are without care!

Pretty expensive trip.

Regarding the price, tickets alone are well over $1500.

Regarding going to other countries, I think it's a great opportunity for these medical students to be exposed to different cultures. They will run into patients from all corners of the world here in the U.S.

I've been to Vietnam twice as a visitor, a very humbling experience. We are fortunate to have these doctors for the rest of our lives in the U.S. This may be a Vietnamese persons only visit to a doctor for years. Their trip to Vietnam will benefit the students and us in the long run (two words: humility and compassion). If nothing else, it's international good will.

To the students, you will find incredible kindness from the Vietnamese people. Enjoy your time there!

As a former Nursing student at SLCC,I know that these students save up for, and pay for this trip themselves. It does not come out of anyone elses pockets. Furthermore, for those wondering why the students are going out of the country when our own system is in "shambles"...these students perform hundreds of clinical hours right here in Utah(for free ofcourse). This trip comes above and beyond all of that, and is a chance to experience global medical issues (not to mention in a place that is no doubt in more of "shambles" than we are). Maybe you could educate yourselves more about this issue before citicizing. This is a wonderful thing, and we as Americans are not the only people in this world, nor do we have the same issues (such as the major HIV clinics, etc) as do these other countries.

I was amazed at some of the blind comments made about these students and other medical staff making this trip. What they learn over in Viet Nam such as cultural differences, compassion and how much of the world really lives, can't but help them be better people and medical personnel here in the US. American medical students, and hospitals for that matter, help many poor people. As a former nursing student myself, many of the people I helped take care of were getting their medical care for free and that was in very expensive intensive care units in Utah! So you don't know what you are talking about when you say "help the people in the US." We do! And that is correct, medical students and nursing students provide hundreds of hours free service as they learn. Some people just need to stop criticizing. Plus these same people who go over to other countries probably are the same people who give many hours of free service here in the US as well!!! Shame on you who criticize when you really don't know these people at all.

There will always be those who criticize going abroad to provide health care in third world countries when yes, indeed, our own system is broken. I have been to Vietnam with a COPI mission and found it very rewarding and eye opening. I will never provide free health care here in the States because if a patient gets pissed off, then I lose everything I've worked for and my family ends up homeless because we're such a sue-happy society. When we provided vitamins and ibuprofen, we were thanked from the bottom of their hearts instead of being asked "Is this it?" Our health care system is broken, but it's a heck of a lot better than third world countries. Same on you, Anonymous, for not understanding the impact 17 days can have on the life in a child who has nothing. Kudo's to the students for saving their own money and volunteering their time to expand their knowledge and experience. You will learn much, gain an appreciation, grow by leaps and bounds and see medical conditions not seen in the States. Go COPI!

I am amazed at the anger and shame directed toward people who may be uninformed about the medical services provided for free here in the states. I, myself have not been aware of that. I have not heard it on the news nor seen it in the newspaper. For this, a person is shamed, dishonored, and humiliated? I don't think this helps the situation. In my opinion, it is best just to educate people about it. I'm sure they'd appreciate knowing more about it.

I honor and commend students that take on the service of providing care for people in other countries and this one. I think traveling to other countries is a very educational experience. However, I would be concerned about someone working on me professing to be working in a curing/healing profession who got so angry so easily and wanted to shame a person for a mistake made or being misinformed. Emotional abuse cuts much deeper than any physical wound. There is much contradiction in the expression of disapproval for their criticizing, for you have done the same thing. You have criticized them.

Please, do no harm.

To "Concerned" above...Some of your commemts are harlmful, so take your own advice. Furthermore, the critical comments made above about the nursing students is very harmful, and offensive. Even if people are uninformed, they do not have the right to criticize withough the correct information.

You know in vietnam those children in the orphanges die from simple water on the brain. just a simple shunt would fix that. But they dont have the funds.So yes its a good thing for us if you understood how there medical is like nothing. Its important to help those that cant help themself. Also the students pay there own way. So why cant we help others that dont have and wont ever have the advantages we have. I commend those wonderful people who are willing to help those children atleast have a semi normal life..