Educating Nurses at the Gimbie Adventist Hospital / by Rebecca Carlton

Remember that American Animaniacs cartoon from the 90's with the two lab rats, Pinky and Brain? Pinky always asks, "What are we going to do tonight, Brain?" Brain answers, "The same thing we do every night, Pinky--try to take over the world!" Not to make ridiculous analogies, but that's basically what I have planned for Gimbie Adventist College of Health Sciences.

Despite an influx of nursing schools in the region, Gimbie Hospital has had difficulties finding proficient nurses to staff the wards. We are aware that the quality of care here is only as good as the people providing it. With that in mind, Adventist Health International (AHI) opened a nursing school next to the hospital in 2007 to train nurses in the way we think they should practice. I, the cartoon-quoting professional, happen to be the dean of this fine institution.

After working several years in the developing world, I have an appreciation for projects that may create long-term, sustainable change. Our students are capable of that. If we succeed in showing them how to be compassionate servant-leaders while providing excellent health care, we can change Ethiopia and the world. I know this sounds trite, but with God's help, these students are totally capable of turning this place around.

But there are challenges: students cannot pay their bills; it's hard to find qualified teachers; there is not enough clinical space; we have trouble purchasing the books we need and we fight against bureaucracy, complacency, and discouragement. But, in the end, I still believe it's possible. There are generous donors helping us to build new classrooms; expatriate medical professionals volunteering to teach classes; medical students and others bringing books for our library in their suitcases, for which we are grateful. We pray daily for guidance and wisdom to make this a school whose teachers and students emulate Jesus, our best example of a healer.