Philippines: Shalom Nursing Internship Opportunity
**Note: Interns must be at least 20 years of age and female, unless they are coming with a spouse.**
1. What are some ministry tasks that you want the intern to accomplish while serving with you?
Shalom’s internship, while once primarily a maternity care internship, has now expanded into a broader Global Health experience. While Shalom continues to be the host and primary clinical site for this internship, interns will also rotate with other medical ministries to gain additional exposure to pediatric, adult, emergency, and community-based health care. Through these opportunities, interns will get a more intimate glimpse into the life of patients living in poverty, and experience multiple approaches to help them overcome barriers to care. Interns will also learn ways to incorporate Christian ministry into a variety of health care settings.
Since Shalom is a medical facility, competency must be demonstrated prior to clinical participation, and interns are primarily accepted as groups sent from nursing schools. We will consider interns that have completed at least their third year of nursing, midwifery, or medical school on a case-by-case basis.
2. What are some key lessons from your ministry and walk with the Lord that you want to impart to the interns to help them as they consider their own individual call to missions or vocational ministry?
In addition to gaining valuable clinical experience, our prayer for our interns is two-fold: first, that God would use their time with us to deepen His call on their careers, whether on the mission field or in their passport country. Second, we pray that as each intern spends time serving and worshiping with their Filipino brothers and sisters, that they would gain a beautiful glimpse into their role within the Global Church.
3. What would a typical day look like?
There is no such thing as a typical day at Shalom, or on the mission field! But in general, each intern will spend weekdays in a clinical setting (either providing maternity care at Shalom, or rotating with partner ministries providing adult, pediatric, emergency, or community-based care). Because we are a 24/7 facility and since babies are unpredictable, interns will also take turns being on call overnight to be called downstairs to assist in deliveries! Sundays are spent with Filipino teammates worshiping and going on local outings, and Saturdays are a mix of clinical, ministry, and recreational activities.
4. Please list specific skills an intern may expect to develop by the time the internship is completed.
At Shalom, interns will apply and broaden their current clinical skills by assisting our licensed Filipino midwives in all aspects of maternity care, including prenatal check-ups, deliveries, postpartum care, newborn care, and preventative care such as immunizations, Pap smears, and patient education. At other clinical sites, interns will take part in vital signs, blood glucose checks, patient assessments, preparation and dispensing of medications, and patient advocacy. Depending on the intern's interest, additional skills may be developed, such as performing basic laboratory tests, ultrasound assessment, and neonatal resuscitation. Interns will also gain skills in cross-cultural ministry and sharing their faith.