Thoughts from Ghana



Nursing in Ghana is a clinical practicum course which, with the support of the Queen Elizabeth Scholars Program, provides students with the opportunity to practice within a different geographic context and a culturally distinct environment. The 2019 cohort of nursing students each shared their thoughts on the experience thus far. Read more below!

  • Chioma O.

    My home within a home just like the home I used to know
    I think I found a home just like the one I used to know,
    The kind that made my skin glow,
    Although it's not quite like the one I used to know,
    I think I found a home just like the one I used to know.

    I think I found a home just like the one I used to know,
    The kind where every pebble is used to dribble,
    Although it's not quite like the one I used to know,
    I think I found a home just like the one I used to know.

    I think I found a home just like the one I used to know,
    The kind where a "hiss" can be a kiss or a fist,
    Although it's not quite like the one I used to know,
    I think I found a home just like the one I used to know.

    I think I found a home,
    The kind I have always known,
    Although it's not quite like the one I used to know,
    I think I found a home just like the one I used to know.

    I think I found another home,
    Another home in between the Maple Leaf and the rivers at Lokoja.
    I think I found a home,
    Although it's not the one I used to know.

  • Christy W.

    This picture is from the morning of our first clinical day while we hiked to a neighbouring village to do immunizations. My nerves were high as we set out, since I didn't know what to expect in a culture and community so different from my own back in Canada. Yet on we went that morning, hiking into the unknown and out of our comfort zones.

    That's what it has felt like for our time here this far. Each day we are taking steps physically and emotionally towards being pushed to experience and learn. This growth isn't always a comfortable feeling, as it makes me question myself as well as challenges me to look at the world through a new set of lenses. However, the local people here are so welcoming and kind, that they are making this transition an easier one. Plus, I couldn't ask for a better team of Canadian nurses to share this experience with.

    So even though at this moment I feel personally shaken, challenged and unsure of so much, I'm excited to continue on this journey and the "hike" we are on, not only to learn about who I am as an individual but also who I am as a global citizen.

  • Danika F.

    As my final year of my nursing degree comes to a close, I am ever aware of the inevitable transition from nursing student into the daunting role of a registered nurse. The choice of preceptoring in Ghana was an easy idea to wrap my head around. After arriving in Ghana that easily wrap up thought is unravelling around me. Having experienced village life in a small town outside Kumasi left me curious to learn more about the Ghanaian culture and people alongside the staff at the Rawlings Circle Poly Clinic.

    The opportunity of practicing at the Rawlings Circle Poly Clinic has given light to new way of understanding. Upon working alongside the Ghanaian nurses I have gained insight on the impact culturally sensitive and holistic care can have on health outcomes. Pursing cultural competence has proven to be an uphill climb. The unravelling of difficult topics explored with the locals is both an interpersonal and intrapersonal experience that brings on new emotions. With this in mind, I have decided to explore these unknown emotions in relation with my nursing practice. I question how these feelings can be understood within myself and within patients who might be placed in vulnerable positions similar to the ones I am currently living. The time spent practicing at Rawlings Circle has offered me the chance to better understand cultural competence. It has given me the ability to recognize my unique cultural journey and see the influences it holds within relationships. With this I am able to understand how to respond to a patient whose values may differ from my own.

    The demand for this diverse way of knowing is becoming even more prevalent throughout the practice home in Canada. Not only does this entail culture, but this understanding offer me the chance to be a better advocate for all my patients regardless of age, beliefs, ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status.

  • Danika F.

    Ghana has been incomparable to anything I've experienced. Arriving to Ghana was full of excitement with diving into the unknown. Trying new foods such as sugar cane, cocoa seed and plantain all entailed part of experiencing a new way of living. However the unknown has also brought new emotions never felt before. Self-discovery, colonialism and privilege have all been brought to light by this uncharted territory. I have decided to explore these emotions hand in hand with the impact they hold on my nursing practice. I continually explore the question of how these feelings can be understood within myself and with patients whom might be placed in similar vulnerable positions. Preceptoring in Ghana has fostered a safe environment for emotional growth alongside eleven amazing peers, one mentor and the unparalleled Ghanaian people. A few short weeks has only allowed me to scratch the surface on the wonders of the unknown and what is to come.

  • Elizabeth P.

    Where to begin. I chose an image of me walking down a path to symbolize the new way of living I have discovered in Ghana. When they say you're traveling to find yourself, you don't really know what they're talking about until you experience it for yourself. We are a third of the way through our visit here and I feel I have experienced more uncomfortable, boundary-breaking things than I even knew I had. I've been pushed mentally to accept the new and unknown, into the uncomfortable areas where you feel lost and need guidance. But despite all that, I am on the right path to discovering who I am at heart, the nurse I was called to be, and the human being that can look beyond their own borders and truly become a global citizen.

  • Emma H.

    Before arriving in Ghana, we were told a story about two individuals who formed a connection with one another despite not speaking the same language. I never truly understood how that was possible until I met the incredible children of Apemanim. One afternoon we sat outside and played various card games with each other. Only two out of the group of children understood more than a few English words and I could only say a few sentences in Twi, yet for hours we sat together and socialized. We took the time to share our stories using hand gestures and charades, communicating with one another even though we didn't even speak the same language. We exchanged expressions of confusion at first, followed by acceptance and joy. My experience in Ghana thus far has taught me to appreciate the connection two individuals can have between each other. Even though we may not speak the same language, come from the same cultural backgrounds, or share the same beliefs, we're all human.

  • Jessica L.

    A picture that encapsulates my journey in Ghana thus far is this one. A picture that tells a story of curiosity, wonder, and acceptance. This picture was taken at the village of Apemanim and I chose this picture because it shows the curiosity that I have had and continue to have through this whole experience. It shows the wonder of this world that I am in awe of, every day. It shows the acceptance that has been shown to us during our time here. Although we are only one third of the way through this experience, I have learned so much about myself, this beautiful culture and the people surrounding it. I have cried, laughed, bonded, been pushed out of my comfort zone and created wonderful memories with the 12 other women on this journey. I have learned things about myself that I never knew were possible and I will be forever grateful for that. I will continue to be curious, wonder, and accept what the next portion of this crazy adventure has in store for me.

  • Jocelyn W.

    The past month in Ghana has been an amazing journey. I've learned how to be resilient while stepping out of my comfort zone. I've met so many amazing people who've invited me into their culture, through food, dance, and stories. This is a picture of a little girl who greets us with hugs at the market outside of the hostel. Although we don't speak the same language, we communicate through touch and laughter. I'm so grateful and privileged to be finishing my final semester of nursing in Ghana and can't wait for next couple of months.

  • Laryssa U.

    The picture I have chosen is both a literal and metaphorical analogy for my experience so far. The culture in Ghana is fully immersed in, it is everywhere, from their traditional clothing to the red dirt, and even to the colour of their skin. As a Caucasian female, I notice my own colour in contrast to those around me, and how this makes me feel as a minority in this country, different. I notice the admiration I have sometimes been given for the fairness of my skin and the blue of my eyes. An admiration I have done nothing to deserve. Young Ghanaian woman have told me "you are so beautiful; your skin is so beautiful". I am quick to point out that their skin is beautiful to me, that brown eyes are my favorite eye colour, and that I love their hair. I have never been so acutely aware of colour in my life, it is all around me and surrounds me.

  • Nicole O.

    Coming to Ghana I had an idea in my head of what this trip was going to be like. As with every expectation, I was not correct. I have no idea what the rest of the trip is going to have in store for me but as of right now, I feel this trip was as if I am in a big ball at the top of a hill. The first month of classes was the building of that ball, the new perspective of the world around me, now that those classes are done, the ball it built with me in it, I am rolling full spread down the hill, getting just a glimpse of the lived experience of Ghanaians. These moments pass by in the blink of an eye but I would never change one thing about this experience because this time is shaping who I am going to be the rest of my life. Never in my life have I ever been so conscious of the colour of my skin and the effect that being from Canada would have. These are moments, no matter how brief, where people are just people. Not locals, not obouroni. Just people. These moments are where the most valuable learning experiences have come. This hill that I am rolling down is not smooth and my stomach has been in notts since everything has started but I work through to untangle these notts into meaningful experiences. These uncomfortable way people look at foreign skin. The way Canadians are seen to have the answers to problems and the money to solve them. The way my skin alone gives the perception that I am privileged and maybe I am privileged but how can just skin tell such a story. These feelings will continue to knot up my stomach, however, the good in these feelings is near in the future, somewhere here in Ghana.

  • Samantha G.
    The paths in this photo represent a journey; they do not necessarily represent my African experience specifically, but they represent an adventure. I had an idea what some of the experiences would be like, but there were also so many surprises these past few weeks. For example, I had no idea Ghana, or Africa for that matter, would have 'normal' malls with MAC and Pandora stores inside them. I figured that most of Africa would look like this photo. Ghana further amazed me with its many small towns or villages that are bustling with small businesses at the roadside. It additionally has some stunning architectural building styles I have never seen before, of which are painted with bright colours and are quite unconventional in shape. These revelations may seem small and unremarkable, but they truly stunned me; my expectations of this foreign place were profoundly and delightedly exceeded. I have come to realize that a low/moderate-income country like Ghana is not as desolate as I had imagined. Therefore, this picture represents more than just a sunset with a view of paths through a field. This picture represents part of my journey, in which I have already learnt to consider the flip side of my assumptions and to keep in mind that everyone's perspective is both unique and undetermined. This picture represents the paths I have taken in life to discover my beliefs and values. This picture represents the paths I will take to discover who I am and where I want to be. This picture represents what my sense of adventure says about me.
  • Shaelee J.

    This experience thus far has taught me many things, including a unique and interesting culture as well as qualities I never knew about myself. It has pushed me to step out of my comfort zone and embrace feeling a little out of place. For example, getting up to dance to Palm Wine music in front of a crowd, jumping on a tro-tro to catch a boat ride up Volta river or weighing babies on a scale hanging from a tree. The picture above is a highlight so far being in Ghana. It is a classroom we visited in Apemanim village full of brilliant and eager students. The visuals and tools around the classroom gave me an idea of what their activities were like and what a day at school looked like for the kids. Almost a month has gone by, and it has felt like it has whipped right past. I am amazed at how much I have learnt so far but even more amazed at how much more I need to learn.

  • Veronica P

    One month has passed and it feels like we have been here for years and also like we only just got here. After living here for a month, something that never fails to amaze me is the openness and genuinity of the people who I encounter everyday. No matter where we are, whether it be on campus, the market or the village Apemanim we are greeted with a "hello" even if we are merely walking by one another. I think about back at home, if I were to ask "how are you?" to every person that I was to walk by, why is it considered strange? Here in Ghana I've learned to not be afraid to open up and strike up a conversation with a stranger who I've just met and it's one of the best lesson I've ever learned. The sacred stories and advice that have been shared with me are what will make this adventure so memorable. In this photo is Nana, a 125 year old woman who we were so lucky to have met in Apemanim. Looking into her eyes we could tell she had so much wisdom and life experiences to share. She told us to stay humble, do not discriminate and always love one another and even though we did not speak the same language, her words reached my soul and I will carry her words with me for the rest of my life. I am so grateful to have met people like Nana in the one month of being here. I'll continue to strike up conversations with strangers not only while being here, but also at home in Canada because you'll never know where that conversation will lead you.