Partnering in Peru

Sofia Puerto, PhD, RN, CCRN (second row, third from left), welcomes nursing colleagues to the nursing conference held in Lima.

Over the past several years, Dr. Puerto has presented many seminars in her specialty field of critical care nursing to colleagues in her native Latin America. In addition, she presented a critical care course at Adventist University of the Philippines, located south of Manila. Dr. Puerto is a popular speaker in South America--not only because of her expertise in critical care nursing--but also because she speaks Spanish fluently. "Presenting in Spanish is an immense help,² Dr. Puerto says. "Since there is no need to speak through a translator, we are able to accomplish so much more in a limited time."

Dr. Puerto's most recent lectures was presented at the Auditorio de la Asamblea Nacional de Rectores in Lima, Peru. "More than 200 nurses from across Peru attended,² she notes. "Some participants told me they had traveled by bus up to 22 hours to participate in the seminar."

"Given that nurses in Peru make only $200 to $250 per month, it demands real commitment to the profession to attend continuing education courses," Dr. Puerto relates. "In order to attend continuing education seminars, most of them have to take unpaid leave, pay for the cost of the seminar, and pay for their transportation, food, and lodging." In addition, it is necessary for most nurses who want to take continuing education courses to find qualified staff to replace them while they attend the conferences.

"This tells me a lot about their desire to learn," Dr. Puerto says. "It is inspiring to see the sacrifices they make to accomplish their educational goals. During class breaks, many participants have come to me to express their thankfulness for a seminar that speaks not only to the scientific and technical concepts of critical care nursing, but also to the concept of wholistic care as well, which for many professionals in the United States is well-known, but not for them."

Most of the seminars Dr. Puerto presents are centered at Adventist institutions in South America. She has presented seminars at Peruvian Union University in Lima, River Plate Adventist University in Argentina, and at the Ispano Iberic Congress of Critical Care in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In September, 2000, Dr. Puerto will participate in the Global Partnerships in Nursing project in Brazil.