Interview with Betina, Haitian Nursing Scholar

IMR has roots in the Destra region of Haiti. Residents of Destra, like many other regions of Haiti, has challenges accessing primary healthcare due to physical and economic constraints. IMR has sought to bridge these gaps by establishing a clinical presence there, as well as sponsoring a local aspiring practitioner to pursue formal training in healthcare.

This year, IMR provided a scholarship through our partner GOALS Haiti for Betina Perpulus to attend nursing school. She hopes to return to Destra to care for her community after graduation. We checked in with Betina to see how things are going.

How is the nursing program running?

Betina: The nursing program is going very well. I always go to school on time, the teachers make it easy to understand the program, and I always complete my homework on time. I'm always studying my lesson every day to make sure that I'm moving forward with my nursing program.

What did you learn which is interesting in the nursing program?

B: What I've learned in the nursing program I find interesting is taking blood pressure, giving IVs to patients, how to do the injection with a syringe, how to take temperature, and control the level of blood sugar in the patient. All of these are very interesting to me. 

What are some challenges or difficulties you faced in the nursing program?

B: One of the difficulties I had in the nursing program is where I live and there's a river that is called La Rouyaume. It was flooded due to heavy rain, and everyone in my community could not cross the river and go into town. I missed a lot of days of school because of the flood and was very behind in my class assignments. I had to stay up late at night to study harder so I would not be left behind in my class. Luckily for me, all that hard studying paid off, and I was able to pass on to the next level of the program. 

What do you enjoy in the nursing program?

B: What I enjoy the most in the nursing program is injecting IVs for patients and taking blood pressure, I like it when I’m taking the level of the blood sugar of the patients.

When you graduate from the nursing program what will that mean to you, and what positive impact will it have on your community?

B: Graduating from the nursing program will have a significant impact on me because my dream was to graduate from high school and continue to go to school so that I could have a degree in nursing. Also, the impact it will have on my community because there isn't any hospital in Bossan where I live. Therefore, I will be helping people in my community when there's someone who is sick. Often late at night, we have people who get sick and don’t have transport to go to the hospital in the town. Soon I will be able to give these people the first aid treatment they need to get well. All thanks to GOALS and their supporters which I will forever be thankful.