Students Speak
The feelings of the students, faculty and staff for this superior Haitian nursing school can be summed up though the letters written by FSIL students:
Before coming to FSIL my life had no meaning. I had attended another Nursing School. Nothing compared to FSIL. Here is the difference. We have competent teachers — everything to help us succeed. They help me in becoming proud of myself and the progress that I am making. My life has a sense and a purpose now. I thank all of those who have contributed to the building of this facility. I ask God to help me so I can continue and remain here (at FSIL) for the next three years. This will allow me to be useful to myself, my family, my community and my country, Haiti.
When I was a kid, I had dreams of being a civil engineer: build big houses…
After a year of studying computer science at a university in Port-au-Prince, I received a divine message calling me to devote myself to the medical world instead. Since then, everything has changed me. I enrolled at the FSIL, but timidly because it is new in Haiti have men who are studying nursing.
In the first year, my colleagues called me Miss, reminding me that nursing is a profession for women. However, nothing shook me. I kept my composure and my self esteem has not fallen. As a measure, I have come to realize that it is important to make a difference in this country sick [from lack of] quality care. Since then, I have given wholeheartedly in my soul to study, to apply everything that I received at school. I…feel the need to help, to serve others, to ease suffering, to treat the dying. For me, it is the largest of the work, the greatest gift that we can offer to someone. When I give care, I feel useful, I see what is my most beautiful and great mission on earth.
Now, I am Student- teacher in one of the greatest nursing schools of Haiti. It makes me happy. I always liked teaching, working with others, organizing youth groups, sharing my knowledge. But I did not think that I would enjoy this wonderful spot so much today.
Through my studies at the FSIL, I made a lot of achievements: Animate on the radio, present lectures on various health problems such as sanitation, personal hygiene and community development, hypertension, diabetes, HIV-AIDS, etc. Hope grows by the day.
I thank God, the dean of the FSIL (Mrs. Hilda ALCINDOR) for giving me the opportunity to study in this great school this noble profession… Thanks to you, I am a professional and my future is assured. And I think that that possibility is also available to other young people of Haiti who believe in education, the key to development in any country. After this round of studies, I want to go further, get a master’s, then a doctorate in nursing in order to better serve, teach.
May God bless all the personnel of FSIL (Board); it multiplies his days so that the light will continue to shine on everyone!
Another Haiti is possible.
- Jean Chrisnel BERNARD
I am Shirley Dieuveille of Gonaives…the youngest of six children of which I am the only daughter. I do not come from a rich family. But education was very important for us. I have never known my father, so my mother raised me and my brothers alone without the support of anybody. She was working very hard to put me to school. I am…telling you that the route was not paved.
After high school I was undecided…finally after much reflection, I chose medicine, and started to prepare [but did] not succeed in the competition for admission… I enrolled in the school of law and economics and I succeeded. But I did not do very well, because I wanted to be a doctor. I was in the second year of law school, when a friend told me about the school of Nursing in Léogane. I hesitated before agreeing to visit with her that school. When I arrived here I was impressed by the charm of it and…three days before the deadline for applications I enrolled. I knew that I was dreaming, given the cost to attend this school…But with hope in mind I ventured.
I can never forget that call, which changed my whole life…I was ranked among the top ten, reflecting that I will have the opportunity to have a scholarship. And on Monday, January 10th I walked for the third time the ground of FSIL. Then I had the feeling that I was here to stay.
In the first years I was still a child but I had as objective to spend four years (not more) in the faculty and going out with my degree in nursing. I was learning, I was asked a lot of questions which enable me to understand the importance of nursing in the world and in a community. I started to fall in love with this science. With help and support of our dear Dean I began to feel useful and to consider myself as a part of the society in which I live, especially in Haiti. In the second year I saw life in another way, I started to understand the difference that a nurse can do…The nurse plays different parts in the lives of the patients such as counselor, educator, etc.
…I was not too sure of myself, I lacked of self confidence. I looked at everybody with the same eyes, the eyes of brotherly love. When I started to go to hospital Sainte Croix for training, I wanted to help the people who are suffering. I talked, listened to people. I gave advice…when necessary and sometimes I cried with them. I loved my patients very much. I always want to restore their lives. Every time one of my patients died, I felt responsible and I wanted to learn more to help another patient with the same disease.
In the third year I already considered myself as a nurse, even though I did not have my diploma yet. I felt ready to confront the world. With the knowledge gained at FSIL I could challenge any graduated nurse in Haiti. I am notbragging but I know that I am well prepared. FSIL has made a woman out of me, an educated one. Now I see myself one of the gems of this country Haiti. I can give thanks to the FSIL and its benefactors.
Now in the fourth year I am “la crème de la crème.” I am a REAL WOMAN. Now, thanks to the FSIL I can put my knowledge at the disposal of others, I am étudiante-professeur at FSIL. I am teaching medical terminology to first year students. I am loving it. This experience at FSIL opened my eyes to find my love for teaching that was sleeping in me. Being a student teacher, I can understand the needs of students before they can verbalize them. I read on the faces of students if the class is participating or not. I know when I have to start over or explain again to allow the whole class to understand…
FSIL is helping find my ability to help others. I want to thank the leaders of the faculty who thought of having to build this power even though they are not Haitian. GOD BLESS YOU.
- Shirley Dieuveille
First year (2004-2005) The first year was what I can call year of adaptation. Because in Haiti, men do not attend nursing school. My friends thought that it was a big mistake. I remember always telling them that doing nursing will help me transform life.
Then the course “professional development” taught by Mrs. Alcindor opened my eyes. I began to have more confidence and more self-esteem. Thus after the first academic year I began to change to a new style of life.
Second year (2004-2005) was totally different…I started to share my knowledge acquired at the school with the community. In my neighborhood all the time I am called to take blood pressure, to advise in health problems because they do not have the money to go see a doctor. I remember one day someone asked me to visit a woman with hypertension. I went there and I took the blood pressure; it was elevated… I began right there the education on hypertension (diet and exercise and compliance to medication). She was very happy to learn how to take care of herself and her disease. I thank God and also Mrs. Alcindor who talked always about education and prevention.
Third year (2006-2007) Third year it was definitively an exceptional year in my life…I had more to share. I was becoming a professional male nurse. People in my community respected me. I could give better care to my patients. When I am at the hospital I get to meet students from other schools. Talking to them, seeing them at work allowed me to see the great difference that existed between them and us from FSIL.
Fourth year (2007-2008) The fourth year is marked by many experiences. One of the greatest is participating in a research program conducted by Duke University. I am studying and teaching at the same time…
It will be very sad if I don’t tell you how I made a difference in the life of a woman in my church one Sunday…I was called to help with someone who fainted. She presented the following signs and symptoms: vertigo, paleness, trouble of vision. Quickly I gave her juice mixed with sugar. After drinking the juice, two minutes later she felt better. You see a simple gesture can make a difference in the life of people.
I want to continue the study to become a nurse practitioner if God gives me [this] possibility. I want to give the maximum of me to change the quality of nursing care in Haiti with the contribution of other…young professionals.
I ask God to bless Mme Alcindor. I hope that she can continue to educate more students. Thanks God for my life, my parents for their sacrifice, my sponsor and…May God give strength to the members of the Board and all who help the school.
- Evens Joicin
When I was little I had dream to be a doctor but, in my country is not very easy to get admitted to medical school. I have to admit that I came to the nursing school in order to prepare myself for the competition for admission to the medical school. But the knowledge and dedication of the DEAN will not let me…abandon the nursing career so easily. In addition, in Haiti, many young people do not have the possibility to go to college after high school; it is a privilege for me to have the opportunity to belong to such a fine school.
From the start, the school teaches not only nursing skills but they provide skills in other domains such as social skills; thereby we learned to make the difference… During the first year, the students of my promotion elected me as the president of the class. I did this job with responsibility that helped develop my skills in leadership; because, it was not very easy to govern many young people who had different background. This experience taught me how to lead other associations in my church and in the community.
During the third year, I worked like I had my bachelor in nursing, because by these nurses’ interventions acquired at school, I relieve my patients at the hospital…I learned that education is the most important thing you must do for the patients…in the maintaining of the health. In this way, when I am at the hospital I am used to educate my patients every day.
The fourth year is very different from the other years. I participate in many programs that many nurses certified do not take part yet like Pap smear research, take care of elephantiasis, to mention only that. Is very different because in the three other years I make the difference in the life by education, this year in addition to education, diagnostics. Now I still have the education of my patients, [and] I share my knowledge developed at the Faculty of Nursing with new students who aspire to become a nurse. …Playing the role of teacher for the first year students…gives me a new profile and outlook in life.
Teaching other student gives me more admiration for the School of Nursing Léogâne and for those responsible for the school, because there is no power in the country which gives the privilege to students. …FSIL prepared not only nurses but also frameworks [that] can be used in almost all areas. Therefore, I would like to continue my studies in nursing in order to better serve others, and I will work with the aim of having advanced training in the field of education to better share my knowledge. So I will attend the progress of Nursing in Haiti.
I thank God for giving me the gift of intelligence to study, I thank the Board governing which contributes greatly to my training, I thank my dear Dean Hilda ALCINDOR who sacrificed everything to give me a noble profession.
- Marie Martha DESIR
