ANN ARBOR—There is little rest and relaxation this spring break for eight University of Michigan School of Nursing students who are spending their vacation volunteering in Haiti.

The group is putting its nursing knowledge to the test providing free vision, Scoliosis, blood pressure and other types of medical screenings to a clinic located in Petit Goave.

The trip was organized by Ann Arbor’s United Methodist Volunteers in Mission and is led by the Rev. Diane Christopherson. An interpreter is accompanying the students during their stay.

Before leaving, the nursing students had to take anti-malaria pills, other preventative shots and medicines, and learn sanitation practices unique to Haiti.

“It will give them a real good opportunity to see health care from a different social, cultural, and environmental perspective,” says Judith Lynch-Sauer, assistant research scientist at the U-M School of Nursing. The group will also visit Grace Children’s Hospital and a university in Port-au-Prince.

The students received a stipend from the School of Nursing to help offset their travel cost. When they return, they will present their experiences to other nursing students and faculty.

The group returns to Ann Arbor on March 4. Students and faculty will be available for interviews by appointment. Pictures are available upon request.

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School of NursingUnited Methodist Volunteers in MissionJudith Lynch-Sauer