Dr. Amy Luckowski’s Cultural Immersion class delivered on its name for 10 nursing students who spent a week in the Dominican Republic in early October.

The group went deep into the countryside. After landing in Santo Domingo, they traveled three hours to the Solid Rock International clinic in San Juan de la Maguana, and then visited local villages (another 30-60 minutes away) to hold what Luckowski, associate professor of nursing, describes as “pop-up clinics.”

The students collected patient data, observed patient interactions with a Dominican doctor or Nurse Provider, learned about medications prescribed in the Dominican Republic, and even accompanied a local pastor on home visits.

When they weren’t with the healthcare providers, the students visited a local market, witnessed a flag raising at a school, ate at an authentic restaurant, and toured a church.

“This trip has not only taught me to be grateful for the little things (having hot water in the shower, having a toilet at home),” says Bari Phillips, a junior, “it also taught me to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

“It taught me not only to try new things but to stop complaining about things no matter what the circumstance may be. There are people in the world who have harsher living conditions than I do, and they still treat everyone they encounter with a smile and kindness and get through their days facing whatever challenges may come.”

Lian Sydorowicz, a senior, saw first-hand the impact of her future profession.

“Nursing is powerful,” she says. “The time that you take to spend with everyone you encounter has the opportunity to change both their lives and yours. Never take for granted what you have or the experiences you get to live because each of them is unique and will mold you into an even better version of yourself.”

This Dominican trip was Luckowski’s ninth since she arrived at Neumann in 2016. The three-credit nursing elective is usually offered every semester, but several were canceled in the last few years because of Covid. She has accompanied a total of 95 students on the cultural immersion experience.

Another trip is scheduled for March 29 to April 5 in the spring.

The entire team consisted of 10 undergraduate nursing students (seniors or second-level juniors), three nursing alumni who took the course as undergraduates and volunteered to return, professors Luckowski and Ann Zahner, a nurse practitioner, and a pharmacist.

Victor Betancourt, associate provost for global engagement, helped to coordinate passports and airline tickets as well as working with financial aid to help fold the cost of the trip into tuition payments.

When the students participate in Neumann open house days to share their experiences with prospective nurses, Phillips will give high marks to her cultural immersion.

“This trip confirmed to me that nursing is what I want to do as my career choice,” she explains. “Nursing is a lot more than just giving medications and attending to patient care needs. It is also about empathizing with your patients, making sure that they feel understood through their life changes while under your care.”