Why work with underserved

She maintains a directory of organizations seeking volunteer nurses, and offers scholarships to offset the cost of medical missions. Other organizations such as International Volunteer HQ and Maximo Nivel also offer nurses week programs where they can volunteer in rural clinics throughout the world.

Author Recent Posts. Linda Childers. You not only see progress in the individuals you treat, but within their families, and everyone else they come in contact with. The patients and their families are so important to me. I would not want to work anywhere else. There is so much support, especially as a new provider. I have the most appreciative patients and feel so rewarded. I had the benefit of also getting loan repayment through NHSC.

Community health centers provide care to some of the most difficult and marginalized groups of people in the healthcare system. It creates the most rewarding feelings when I can make a positive difference in their lives. This site is best viewed with Internet Explorer version 8 or greater.

Check your browser compatibility mode if you are using Internet Explorer version 8 or greater. Upcoming Programs. The IHI Forum is a four-day conference that has been the home of quality improvement QI in health care for more than 30 years.

Attend this year's conference virtually or in-person. Census Bureau , 33 million people in the United States cannot afford healthcare. Reaching out to underserved communities gives you an opportunity to learn about an entirely different subgroup of the population. Poverty, for example, is rampant in underserved populations, and it causes a host of medical complications that often go untreated. By providing care to underserved communities, you will encounter new areas of need and new methods to deliver care to patients in need.

Not only will you have new experiences by providing care to underserved communities, you will also learn to empathize with those in need. For example, many people living in underserved communities struggle with poor nutrition, diabetes, chronic pulmonary conditions and injuries that have healed improperly. While you provide care for these issues, look for patterns and common complaints from your patients.

As you do so, you will begin to understand how these problems develop and how to help people avoid them. When you understand the challenges people face in underserved communities, you can begin to enact change.

These experiences can be life-changing for nurses, who sometimes decide to take their careers in new directions. By providing care to underserved communities, you may find that you want to get more involved, perhaps by volunteering regularly, raising awareness, or starting a fundraiser.

There are many ways you can help underserved communities. Begin by looking for volunteer opportunities in your community.