For Loma Linda University School of Nursing students, learning extends far beyond lecture halls and simulation labs. Each year, international mission opportunities offered through Students for International Mission Service (SIMS) challenge students to apply their clinical knowledge in unfamiliar environments while deepening their commitment to compassionate, whole-person care.
This summer, one team of nursing students traveled to remote communities in the Brazilian Amazon, where they partnered with the North American Division Office of Volunteer Services alongside students from seven Adventist campuses. Traveling by boat to isolated villages, they provided basic health services in communities where access to healthcare, clean water, and electricity is often limited.
"Our purpose is to help nursing students serve communities in need while developing the clinical skills, cultural competence, compassion, and commitment to global service that are central to Loma Linda University's educational mission," said Ed Drachenberg, MSN, RN, Director of SIMS. "These experiences help students become nurses who are not only clinically competent but also compassionate, culturally responsive, and prepared to care for diverse populations throughout their careers."
For current nursing student Richard Monroy, the experience tested both his clinical skills and his resilience.
"I didn't really know what to expect before leaving," he said. "It definitely lived up to being a difficult trip, but it was also one of the most rewarding experiences I've had. The challenges made it meaningful, and I came home with a greater appreciation for providing care in resource-limited settings."
Working in the Amazon required students to think creatively. Without the supplies and resources commonly available in U.S. healthcare settings, every patient encounter demanded adaptability and teamwork.
"The trip really strengthened my ability to adapt and think critically," Monroy said. "I realized that while supplies are important, they don't define the quality of care. As nurses, we have to adapt, think critically, and always find a way to meet our patients' needs safely."
Those lessons are difficult to recreate in a traditional clinical environment. Assistant Dean for Student & Alumni Relations Andreia Lofthouse, who traveled with the students, witnessed firsthand how serving in challenging conditions transformed participants.
"We often go on mission trips with the assumption we are there to give something to others," Lofthouse said. "We often return from of mission trips learning that we receive as much as we give."
She noted that caring for patients in communities with few basic resources teaches students perseverance, humility, and confidence while helping them discover they are capable of far more than they imagined.
For Drachenberg, those moments reflect the heart of Loma Linda University's mission.
"Mission service is movement," he said. "It's action. It's being involved and open to God's calling."
From Brazil to Armenia, Nepal, Kenya, Mexico, Honduras, and beyond, SIMS provides students with opportunities each year to serve alongside communities around the world. While every destination is different, the outcome is remarkably consistent: graduates return home with stronger clinical judgment, deeper cultural humility, and a renewed commitment to serving others wherever their nursing careers may lead.
As Monroy reflected, "Go with an open mind and an open heart. The experience will not only help you grow as a future nurse but also as a person."