WEBSITES

Frontier Nursing Service Quarterly Bulletin, Fall 2003

Frontier Nursing Service - www.frontiernursing.org

FSMFN Community Based Nurse Midwifery Education Program (CNEP) - www.midwives.org

FSMFN Community Based Nurse Practitioner Program (CFNP) - www.frontierfnp.org

Courier Program News

During September, AnnDraia Bales and Totty Lawson attended job fairs at Dartmouth College, Smith College and at the University of New Hampshire getting the word out that Couriers again have the opportunity to observe providers at work. We are looking forward to an increase in applicants to the Program.

Anna Carey was here from September until the end of November. She wrote the following about her experience as a Courier:

"As a teacher in a rural town in New York, I came to the Courier Program to experience other aspects of rural life outside of the school setting. During my 3 years teaching, I became more and more aware that there were many things affecting my students outside of school which, in turn, affected their behavior in school. I felt that having the opportunity to experience rural life, predominantly through health care, would help me not only as a teacher, but also as a person. As a courier, I was able to experience this and more."

"Early in my program, I shadowed Dr. Varghese at Mary Breckinridge Hospital and the family nurse practitioners at all four clinics. As time went on, I spent one day each week shadowing Angie Mitchell at the Kate Ireland Healthcare Center in Manchester. Since I had no medical background at all, everything was new to me; I sat in with many patients and that alone was an invaluable experience, but I also learned much about the daily running of a clinic through my time in Manchester. Every other week I went on home health rounds with Willa Morris from the hospital and this gave me a first hand look at the living conditions of some area residents. During one Frontier Bound week I spent time at FSMFN, at which time I met new midwifery and family nurse practitioner students (one a former courier!). Through all of these experiences, the importance of those involved in health care at all levels was apparent to me."

"Outside of the Healthcare field, I volunteered at the Leslie County Adult Learning Center. I worked with teenagers and adults, helping them to prepare to take the GED. We most often focused on math concepts and through these tutoring sessions, I met some great people who are working hard, overcoming many obstacles, to improve their education level."

"I also became very involved with the Leslie County Animal Shelter and the Leslie County Humane Society. I visited the animal shelter at least once a week to give the dogs exercise and take photos of animals available for adoption. I worked some weekdays, weekends, and evenings at the shelter, cleaning it up, welcoming visitors, taking in animals, and adopting them out. Through the humane society, I helped develop media promoting general information about the animal shelter, animal care, and the humane society's program of spaying and neutering."

"My life at Wendover provided me with a myriad of opportunities. At the Big House, I was lucky enough to spend time with Christine, Caroline, Linda, and Vicky in the kitchen when guests came for meals. These guests ranged anywhere from new students at FSMFN to ladies from area churches. With little aptitude in the kitchen, I had a wonderful time observing (and trying to help) these women in the kitchen. It is a monumental task to prepare food for 35 people or more at a time - they made it look easy! Along these lines, I was also able to occasionally welcome guests to the bed and breakfast and host local gatherings."

"In the offices at Wendover, I helped with everyday tasks that included anything from simple filing to help in rewriting the Courier Handbook. There I spent time with AnnDraia, Barb, Beulah, Patra, Totty, and Joey. On free evenings and weekends, when I wasn't too tired, I visited with security guards: Josh, Ruben, and Michael. Through FNS Wendover activities, I was also able to visit Knoxville, Tennessee, and Lexington, Louisville and Covington, Kentucky."

"Towards the end of my stay, I met a few times with Alabam Morgan, a local woman who worked at Wendover. Alabam was most gracious in sharing stories of her time with Frontier Nursing Service and showing me how to quilt. And even though I'm about as good with the needle as I am in the kitchen, I hope to finish a quilt in the near future."

"Although I am still a bit uncertain as to what the future holds, I am certain that my future is brighter and more full because of my time with the Frontier Nursing Service. Last year, as I looked for possible opportunities that would benefit me, I came across nothing that seemed as if it would give me as diverse of an experience as the one I thought I would find in Southeastern Kentucky. I was right. I believe that life is people and the people I met through FNS made my life richer in innumerable ways. To those people and the experiences they provided me: Thank you!"