Two students in Florida State University Panama City’s Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Program (DNAP) used their clinical skills to make lasting impact on communities in need.
Alonso Martin Arcadia-Reynoso and Daniel O’Malley flew to Mexico in February to volunteer with the AdventHealth Foundation’s “Sharing Smiles” program, a medical charity that provides free corrective surgeries for needy children in Latin America who were born with cleft lips or palates. The students spent a week on site and concluded with a total of 42 procedures benefiting 26 children.
For Reynoso, the experience was a dream come true. As the son of immigrants, he spent a portion of his childhood living in Mexico and his native-level Spanish proficiency helped bridge communication gaps for others on the team. Reynoso’s background also provided an additional level of confidence for patients and their families.
“I witnessed incredible humility and appreciation from every single parent and child that we encountered,” Reynoso said. “It was inspiring to see the collaboration amongst everyone, both local and American, that was a part of the effort to help these children in need.”
Even in cases where surgery was not immediately possible, Sharing Smiles helped to extend aid to patients.
“Unfortunately, some children were not candidates for surgery that week, but the team did everything they could to provide help in other ways, like connecting them with orthodontist services to make the preliminary steps toward having a surgical repair or referring them to a nearby event they were hosting in a neighboring state in a few months,” O’Malley said.
The nationally accredited DNAP program at FSU Panama City is a 36-month doctoral program focused on patient care before, during and after surgical procedures in a variety of settings. The curriculum highlights the use of critical thinking, clear communication and professionalism while conducting various anesthesia techniques. It places an emphasis on analysis, evaluation and decision-making skills in all anesthetic areas.
“The nurse anesthesia program at FSU PC prepared us very well to be detail-oriented and resourceful in the face of complex clinical situations,” Reynoso said. “DNAP instilled a very strong foundation of the principles of nurse anesthesia during our time as students.”
O’Malley and Reynoso were in their final semester of the program working at clinical sites and preparing for board exams when Dr. Chris Dobson, a pediatric anesthesiologist with Sharing Smiles, reached out to Stacey VanDyke, DNAP director, looking for two student volunteers.
“They are making a meaningful impact,” said VanDyke. “I couldn’t be prouder of their dedication and professionalism, and it’s an honor that our school was selected to be part of this mission.”
The next Sharing Smiles mission in the Dominican Republic will include DNAP student Rebecca Lisson as a team member.
“I expect this mission trip to be a life-changing experience and I’m very eager to serve those in need,” Lisson said. “Anesthesia is provided the same fundamental way, regardless of location; it all comes down to adapting to the available resources. The DNAP program is extremely rigorous, and it’s designed this way to ensure that graduates are proficient and safe anesthesia providers.”
Sharing Smiles provides corrective surgery and rehabilitation therapy and works in partnership with local public health institutions and private sector leaders to provide comprehensive care for children long after surgery.
For more information about FSU Panama City’s Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia program, visit appliedstudies.fsu.edu.