Whenever and wherever there’s a disaster, nurses respond with heroism and skill. The skills required in the nursing process – medical and scientific expertise, a level head, and an understanding of the full range of human responses to illness – are the same skills needed in disaster recovery.
NYSNA’s disaster recovery work began in the days after Hurricane Sandy, when hundreds of nurses rushed into the devastation to help out. We went door-to-door in affected areas to assess medical needs, and get medical attention to people without electricity or running water.
Since then, we have deployed Medical Missions to the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan; and to Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. NYSNA nurses are partnering with healthcare practitioners and trade unionists as part of the New York Recovery Network (NYRN) and Healthcare Without Borders to deliver critical, timely, and compassionate care to those in need.
Below you will find a list of upcoming Medical Missions and their associated fliers. To discuss Medical Missions, registration, and next steps, or to get answers to any other questions related to Medical Missions, please contact Rony Curvelo at 347.244.9508, or at rony.curvelo@nysna.org. Missions listed as "CLOSED" are full and not accepting additional participants. If you would like to be added to a wait list, please contact Rony Curvelo.
For the complete 2020 Medical Mission Calendar, click HERE.
January 8-16 – Thailand (Medical Mission)
January 22-29 – Puerto Rico (Medical Mission) – CLOSED
February 12-18 – Mexico (Medical Mission)
March 18-27 – Egypt (Medical Mission) – CLOSED
April 15-26 – Brazil (Medical Mission)
May 26-June 4 – The Philippines (Medical Mission)
June 10-15 – Cuba (Educational Trip) – CLOSED
June 24-29 – Dominican Republic (Medical Mission)
July 15-21 – Peru (Medical Mission)
August 19-25 – Nepal (Medical Mission)
August 24-31 – India (Medical Mission)
September 23-30 – Ghana (Medical Mission)
October 7-14 – Mexico (Medical Mission)
November 9-16 – Brazil (Nursing Congress & Medical Mission)
Resources
- Register online to volunteer with the New York Recovery Network (NYRN)
- Make an Online Donation through the Healthcare Without Borders GoFundMe initiative
Medical Mission Video Highlights
Medical Mission to Chipas, Mexico
Medical Mission to Vieques, Puerto Rico
Medical Mission to South Africa
Medical Mission to Dominican Republic
Medical Mission to Brazil
Medical Mission to Mexico
NYSNA's First Solidarity and Medical Mission to India
NYSNA RNs report from Puerto Rico: February, 2018
NYRN Visits the U.S. Virgin Islands
NYSNA RNs Delegation to Puerto Rico: December, 2017
When Sandy Hit, We United with the Community
NYNSA RNs rescued thousands of lives during and after Hurricane Sandy. At facilities including Bellevue, Coney Island, and Coler-Goldwater, we evacuated more than a thousand patients with no lights, no electricity, and no elevators. Not a single patient died, or was left behind. Nurses worked with hard-hit communities in Staten Island, Red Hook, the Rockaways and Long Island, setting up emergency field clinics, and checking in door-to-door to make sure that thousands of New Yorkers with urgent medical issues received care. Click HERE for more information on volunteering in ongoing relief work.
NYSNA RNs, Sandy Relief in the Rockaways
NYSNA RNs offer relief in Staten Island following Superstorm Sandy
On volunteering in the Philippines, following Typhoon Haiyan:
“It was tough. I’ve been on missions to the Philippines before, but never in a disaster situation… it humbled me to see so much suffering. I think the experience will help me be more patient. I received thank you letters that made me cry.” - Nella Pineda-Marcon, RN, Mt. Sinai Hospital
