Nurse anesthesiology residents use their skills to help others on Nigeria trip

Registered Resident Nurse Anesthetists (RRNAs) Yannick M. Macaulay, BSN, RN, and Adal Wolde, BSN, BSEE, RN, recently traveled to Nigeria as part of a medical mission trip to make a difference in the lives of others.

They learned about the trip through Texas Wesleyan University Clinical Coordinator at Denver Health Medical Center, Jennifer L. Harenberg, CRNA, who connected them with a board member from the group International Surgical Missions (ISM). Neither resident could pass up the opportunity to help the people of Big Warri, Nigeria, and use their anesthesia delivery skills to provide care the residents might not receive otherwise.

“I thought this would be an amazing opportunity to be able to do a mission trip, practice anesthesia in a different country and most especially, to help the people of Nigeria,” Macaulay said.

For Wolde, in addition to helping others, he said he wanted to go on the trip “to perform anesthesia under conditions that I am not familiar with in order to broaden my knowledge base and become uncomfortable to grow as a provider.”

While in Nigeria, Macaulay and Wolde provided anesthesia for general surgeries that involved hernias and mass excisions, as well as skin and breast biopsies.

“The people were very welcoming to us, [and] showed us great hospitality and love. The gratitude they had for us just coming there and helping them out was very life-rewarding and career-fulfilling,” said Macaulay.

“Although most all cases did not involve life-saving care, the procedures and surgeries we were part of improved the quality of the patients’ lives and the patients were extremely grateful to have these procedures performed,” Wolde said.

Both Macaulay and Wolde will graduate from Texas Wesleyan with their Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees later this summer. They plan to go on future mission trips, including one to the Philippines next February. They encouraged all CRNAs and RRNAs to seek out opportunities to go on mission trips overseas.

“I would tell other RRNAs and CRNAs that they need to take on this experience at least once in their lifetime. It is extremely rewarding and satisfying to know that you have skills that can benefit another human being who lives thousands of miles away who may otherwise never receive the medical treatment they deserve,” Wolde said.

Added Macaulay, “I would tell other CRNAs and RRNAs that if you get a chance to do one of these trips, just do it. It is life-changing. It changes your perspective and helps you appreciate life, and the experiences that you gain and lives you get to touch are something that you hold dear to your heart.”