Neurodevelopmentally Based Care Training for International Healthcare Volunteers

Abstract

International medical volunteerism is a global force that has posed complex issues for hosting organizations and volunteers. Nonprofit medical organizations that rely on international volunteers for donations, volunteer hours, and publicity can face significant challenges. In addition, medical training, education, and volunteers' preconceptions of the host community and country can be formidable challenges. The subject hospital of this project was a nonprofit hospital that expressed a need for a volunteer training program for health care workers. A hospital and rehabilitation center for malnourished children in Antigua, Guatemala, was a nonprofit specialized facility serving infants and children. The 24-bed hospital treats 100-150 patients in the inpatient and over 1000 in the outpatient program each year. In Guatemala, over 47% of children suffer from malnutrition, specifically undernutrition identified as wasting, stunting, and being underweight. The impacts of malnutrition are extensive and long-lasting, including significant developmental, economic, social, and medical challenges. The project implemented neurodevelopmentally based care training for international healthcare volunteers through video-based training. Participant perceptions of readiness and knowledge of neurodevelopmentally based care were measured before and after the training and results were compared.