Unity for Service to God and Humanity THE ADVENTIST ... · journalTHE ADVENTIST INTERNATIONAL...

AIMS JOURNAL • 2000 (Vol. 21, No. 2) • 1

Unity for Service to God and Humanity

journalTHE ADVENTIST INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL SOCIETY

Under the auspices of the Alumni Association,School of Medicine of Loma Linda University

Year

2000

Vol. 2

1, No.

2

2 • AIMS JOURNAL • 2000 (Vol. 21, No. 2)

C O N T E N T S

E D I T O R I A L

Continuing the Mission ......................... 3

Success at Sopas College of Nursing ....... 7

Reaching Out Internationally ............... 10

Come Fly (to Clinic) with Me .............. 17

Global Partnerships in Nursing ............ 19

First Int’l Nurse Educators Conf. .......... 22

AIMS Membership Application ........... 23

Interview: Dr. Allan Handysides ........... 24

AIMS Life Members ............................. 28

Openings for Physicians/Dentists ......... 30

We proudly dedicate this edition of theJournal to the worldwide nursing programof the Seventh-day Adventist church.

General direction for this issue was placedinto the capable hands of Patricia Jones, PhD,RN. As an associate director for the Depart-ment of Health Ministries of the GeneralConference, she oversees nursing programsaround the world. She is also the director ofInternational Nursing Outreach in the LomaLinda University School of Nursing.

I proudly share this page with Dr. Jones,and I am certain you will find this issue aninsightful, inspirational look into the activi-ties of those nurses whose dedicated service

contributes so muchto our church’s medi-cal mission.

We live in anage when global-ization and inter-d i s c i p l i n a r yprojects are in-creasingly com-mon in botheducation andhealth care. Inthe Seventh-dayAdventist systemthese approaches are not new. Indeed, fromthe beginning, the purpose of Adventistmedical and nursing education was prepa-ration of health workers for missions at homeand abroad. Furthermore, many of the earlymissionary teams were nurses and doctorsworking together establishing clinics, hos-pitals, and training programs in remote ar-eas of the globe. With such a heritage, andat such a time, it is highly appropriate fornew energies to be generated by theAdventist International Medical Society to-ward renewing this heritage and thrust. Onbehalf of the LLU School of Nursing, andits dean, Dr. Helen King, I would like to sayit has been a pleasure to collaborate with theleadership of AIMS in editing this specialissue of the Journal with a focus on nursing.As the School of Nursing continues its out-reach to sister institutions around the globe,it is done with renewed respect for earlier

Patricia S. Jones

—Don Roth, EditorGeneral Conference

Representative, LomaLinda Campus

www.aims-ministry.org

continued on page 29

Vol. 21 • No. 2 • 2000

ABOUT THE COVER: A faculty member at GiffardMemorial Hospital School of Nursing in Nuzvid,India, administers an exam to a class of nursingstudents in March 1999.


More than one hundred years ago,Seventh-day Adventist nurses andphysicians embarked for South-

ern Asia to be medical missionaries. Manywere graduates of the Battle Creek Sani-tarium and Hospital School of Nursing butsome were from other schools, includingLoma Linda Sanitarium and Hospital Schoolof Nursing. Some had completed both nurs-ing and medical education, and thus werewell-prepared to minister to the sick in thisvast and densely populated part of the world.In a newly published volume on the historyof missionary nurses published by the Asso-ciation of Seventh-day Adventist Nurses(ASDAN, 2000), Muriel Chapman recountsinteresting details and stories of these earlypioneers. Margaret Green, Anna Knight,Emma Binder, Ella Mae Stoneburner, andEdna Yorke were among the pioneer nurseswho went to India and either cared for thesick or taught nursing students at one of theSeventh-day Adventist hospitals in India.

Chapman recorded that at one pointthere were seven hospitals and one school ofnursing in India. Today, three Seventh-dayAdventist schools of nursing prepare nursesfor six Adventist hospitals. These three schoolsinclude one in the southern state of AndrePradesh at Giffard Memorial Hospital, onein the central state of Gujarat at the SuratTrust Association of Seventh-day Adventists

Hospital, and one in the northeastern stateof Bihar at Ranchi Adventist Hospital.

SCHOOLS OF NURSING• Giffard Memorial Hospital School of

Nursing, at Nuzvid in Andra Pradesh, is theoldest Seventh-day Adventist school of nurs-ing in India and, for a long time, the only

Continuing the Mission ofWhole Person Care in India

by Patricia S. Jones

Two members of the Giffard MemorialHospital School of Nursing faculty.


one preparing nurses for all the otherAdventist hospitals around the country.Dedicated missionary nurses served theschool for many years and many of its gradu-ates became strong leaders, both in India andother countries. Some continued their edu-cation at Christian Medical College of Nurs-ing in Vellore where they earned a bachelorsor masters degree. From early on, the schoolwas accredited by the Board of Nursing Edu-cation Christian Medical Association of In-dia, South India Branch and enjoyed a strongreputation, with permission to accept 20 stu-dents per year.

In 1998, Giffard Memorial Hospitalcompleted a beautiful new facility with a ca-pacity for 162 patients and the ability to pro-vide a higher level of acute care. The Schoolof Nursing occupies the previous hospitalstructure with minimal teaching and learn-ing resources. Transitional changes in thefacility and in staffing affected occupancyrates in the hospital, which had dropped toless than 50 percent. Community nursingpractice, however, in the surrounding ruralarea is strong, including midwifery. Unfor-

tunately, the drop in hospital occupancy ratethreatens the long standing accreditation ofthe School of Nursing with the Board ofNursing Education, Christian Medical As-sociation of India which the school has en-joyed for many years. The administration ofGiffard Memorial Hospital is optimisticabout the future of the hospital and of theSchool of Nursing. It is anticipated that oncethe occupancy rate of the hospital increaseswith the right mix of obstetrical and surgi-cal patients, the school will again be securein its accreditation status.

• Surat Hospital Trust Association ofSeventh-day Adventists School of Nursingin the State of Gujarat was started in 1978by Miss Marion Miller, a missionary nurse,and is accredited by the Gujarat NursingCouncil. Over the past 22 years it has de-veloped a strong reputation based in parton the success of its graduates. The school’slibrary although currently sparselyequipped, has the beginning of a collectionwith the potential to become a good sourceof learning materials for students and fac-ulty. The school is permitted to accept 20new students per year, or a total of 60 stu-dents. The hospital has a capacity for 130beds with a current average occupancy ofabout 50 percent.

In order for a school of nursing to main-tain accreditation, the State Nursing Coun-cil established a new requirement that theaffiliated teaching hospitals have a minimumof 250 beds. Both the hospital and schooladministrators are concerned about this andare actively developing links with other in-stitutions that can provide clinical practiceopportunities for the students. Strategies toincrease the amount of in-patient businessat the hospital are also sought.

Dr. King presents a texbook to a SuratHospital School of Nursing faculty member.


At the time of our visit in April 1999, alarge kindergarten, elementary and second-ary school, and junior college were operat-ing on property adjacent to the hospital.New buildings were under construction withplans for developing four-year college levelprograms in professional studies. The stra-tegic plan includes a bachelor’s degree innursing. The principal of the college and thehospital administrator are committed to thedevelopment of qualified faculty for theSchool of Nursing.

• Ranchi Adventist Hospital School ofNursing was started in 1996, also by MissMarion Miller, who returned to India fromher retirement for this purpose. The schoolgraduated its first class in early 2000. Thecurrent director of the school is a graduateof Giffard Memorial Hospital School ofNursing and has a bachelor’s degree in nurs-ing from Manipal College of Nursing. Theprogram is accredited by the Board of Nurs-ing Education of the Christian Medical As-sociation of India, North India Branch. It isapproved to admit 20 students per year. Stu-dents come from Nepal and from the north-ern states of Mizzoran and Malpoor, in ad-dition to Bihar, with a few from some south-ern states as well. A beautiful new School ofNursing dormitory was completed in 1999.Funds are currently being raised for an edu-cation building to accommodate instruc-tional facilities.

Maintaining accreditation by the Chris-tian Medical Association of India dependsin part on construction of the educationbuilding, as well as the strength of the hos-pital business. At present, the hospital has acapacity for 103 beds with an occupancy rateof about 60 percent. The average daily cen-sus in the hospital, a standard for school ac-

creditation, is expected to be more tightlyenforced in the future than it has been inthe past.

Each of the three schools of nursing de-scribed above is affiliated with a missionhospital which is struggling financially. Thisstruggle is largely related to the fact thatthey are no longer able to compete withother local hospitals in terms of medicalexpertise and up-to-date equipment. Simi-larly, nursing faculty work under austereconditions with very few teaching/learningresources, and for very low pay. Students areoften from very poor families, and deeplyindebted to the hospital and the school for

Jyothi Kennedy Christian, assistant directorof the Ranchi Adventist Hospital School ofNursing, happily accepts a new textbook

from the LLU Global Partnership in NursingProject, March 1999.


their tuition, fees, and living costs totallingabout $50 per month.

The ChallengeIn India, schools of nursing are accred-

ited by either the nursing division of theChristian Medical Association of India, orthe State Nursing Council. The ChristianMedical Association is recognized by the In-dian Nursing Council as an approved exam-ining body for nursing registration. TheSurat Trust Association of Seventh-dayAdventists School of Nursing is accreditedby the State Nursing Council. The other twoschools are accredited by the Christian Medi-cal Association of India, which knows andrespects the long history of Seventh-dayAdventist hospitals and schools of nursingin the country. The Christian Medical As-sociation of India has two branches—NorthIndia and South India. The South Indiabranch has recently encountered resistancefrom the State Nursing Council of Kerela,which is taking steps to control all nursingregistration in that state. Unfortunately, anew school of nursing at OttapalamAdventist Hospital in Kerela, accredited bythe Christian Medical Association of India,was affected by the new regulations. Al-though the hospital has 130 beds and runsat nearly full occupancy, the school wasforced to close. The irony is that thisAdventist hospital is reportedly the stron-gest one in terms of clinical learning oppor-tunities for students.

SummaryThese three hospital schools are doing

their best to prepare nurses to continue thetradition of whole person care, but in theface of great difficulties. The challenges en-countered today are different from those ex-

perienced in earlier times. In the 21st cen-tury, mission hospitals are struggling to sur-vive in the face of increased competitionfrom larger and better-equipped hospitals.The majority of patients still come from poorfamilies. Maintaining and providing up-to-date services when a high percentage of cli-ents are unable to pay is very difficult. Main-taining, staffing, and equipping a school ofnursing at the same time is particularly chal-lenging. Nevertheless, continuing the prepa-ration of Christian nurses who subscribe tothe SDA philosophy of health care is essen-tial for the unique ministry of Adventisthealth care. Students struggle to pay theirmonthly expenses, and the schools and hos-pitals struggle to keep them enrolled whenthey have large unpaid bills for tuition,room, and food. These students, and theseschools, desperately need our support. ❑

ReferencesChapman, M. (2000). Mission of Love:

A Century of Seventh-day Adventist Nursing.Association of Seventh-day Adventist Nurses.

Have you

considered

AIMS Life

Membership?See application on page 23.


Sopas Adventist College of Nursing issituated at about 7,500 feet above sealevel in Eriga, one of the remote, less

developed highland provinces of Papua NewGuinea. The college is associated with 100-bed Sopas Adventist Hospital, the majormedical facility in the province. The three-year college program currently enrolls 65 di-ploma level students, 41 females and 24males. Students are drawn from the sciencetrack of the Grade 12 level in the secondaryhigh schools of Papua New Guinea. Themoderate climate of this malaria-free, moun-tainous region is very conducive to study.

Six years ago, Sopas Adventist HospitalSchool of Nursing was on the brink of los-ing its accreditation with the NationalHealth Department and the Nursing Coun-cil of Papua New Guinea, with the inevi-table prospect of closure. The NationalHealth Department planned to consolidatenurse training programs in Papua NewGuinea into two or three larger schools ofnursing for economic reasons. SopasAdventist Hospital School of Nursing wasone of the smaller training institutions thatdid not meet all the criteria set for theplanned upgrade of nurse education in thecountry. In 1994, with a view to phasing outsupport for the hospital’s training program,Sopas had not been allocated student schol-arship placements. Since the training of

nurses had been an integral part of the hos-pital program from its inception in the1960s, this was a serious threat.

With the possibility of imminent closure,vigorous representation at the national levelwas instituted. As a result of this effort, thecollege was allowed to continue the program,and student scholarship places were againgranted in 1995, but the future was still un-certain. The National Health Departmentstill planned to reduce the number of accred-ited nursing schools, and Sopas might not sur-vive. This is the scenario I was confronted withwhen I arrived at Sopas early in 1995.

Our top priority became the goal of sav-ing the church’s nurse training program inPapua New Guinea. First of all, informaldiscussions were held with Pacific AdventistCollege (now University) regarding how wecould collaborate in offering a diploma ofnursing. The small three-member faculty ofSopas began work on a possible college cur-riculum, incorporating the content of theNational Health Department plans for thediploma of nursing but structured in a waythat could be implemented at Sopas. In1996, representatives from the South PacificDivision and Papua New Guinea UnionMission’s health and education departments,along with representatives of PacificAdventist College, met at Sopas AdventistHospital to consider the situation. Recom-

Success at SopasAdventist College of Nursing

by Leon N. Powrie, principal


mendations were made that a three-year di-ploma of nursing program be developed, andthe name of the school changed to SopasAdventist College of Nursing (SACON). Acurriculum development committee withrepresentation from the national health andeducation departments was formed to reviewand advise the curriculum.

In 1997, the curriculum work was com-pleted and submitted to the Nursing Coun-cil for approval with a view to implementa-tion in 1998. The National Health Depart-ment had selected two schools of nursing tobegin trials of their own diploma curricu-lum in 1998, but things were not movingahead as planned. To our delight we wereapproved, though asked to defer the programto 1999, pending approval of the curricu-lum and completion of a government reporton the status of nurse education in the coun-try. We agreed, provided we could becomepart of the diploma model. In keeping withthis approval, we officially began the diplomaof nursing program with our own curricu-lum at the beginning of 1999, in affiliationwith Pacific Adventist University. However,having obtained necessary accreditation forthe diploma of nursing program during1998, we later requested the National HealthDepartment to allow the 1998 class to bereclassified as diploma students as well, sincethey were already being taught the new cur-riculum. This was granted late in 1999, mak-ing it possible for us to graduate the firstdiploma of nursing students in Papua NewGuinea in December 2000.

Recently, the registrar for the NursingCouncil of Papua New Guinea referred toSopas Adventist College of Nursing as thepioneer of diploma of nursing education inPapua New Guinea. We are proud of thisachievement and to say that the standard of

teaching and the quality of product is sec-ond to none. Evidence that SACON is rec-ognized as a leader in nurse education inPapua New Guinea is seen in the way otherschools of nursing have been encouraged tofollow the example of SACON in develop-ing their diploma level nursing curriculum.

Earlier this year, nursing council repre-sentatives from Queensland, Australia, cameto evaluate nurse education standards inPapua New Guinea. The Nursing Councilof Papua New Guinea recommended thatthey visit SACON, despite its location in theremote mountains of the country and its lim-ited facilities. The council was impressedwith the program at Sopas and the improvedstandard of nurse education in the country.

Faculty development continues to be apriority. The board has approved a plan towork toward development of a bachelor ofnursing program to be implemented in aboutfive years. We are looking for volunteers tofill the gap while faculty cycle through theupgrading process over the next few years.

The student body, as mentioned earlier,is selected from all parts of the country.Many of the students are Seventh-dayAdventists, but we do accept students fromother backgrounds as well. Over the years,we have seen a number of students committheir lives to the Lord through baptism. Thesense of family is strong and involvement inspiritual activities and outreach is promoted.Thirteen percent of the curriculum contentis committed to personal spiritual develop-ment and practical holistic principles. It isvery rewarding to see the spiritual and pro-fessional growth of young people as theydevelop a sense of commitment to servingtheir fellow human beings.

SACON graduates have long been rec-ognized as among the best nurses in Papua


New Guinea. We believe that our diplomastudents will be even better. They are betterprepared to evaluate problems and to thinkcritically. We plan to graduate 30 studentsin December 2000. There are 15 studentsin the second-year class and 20 in the first-year class. National projections for the fu-ture suggest that SACON expand to an an-nual student intake of 35.

God has shown His strong hand in pro-tecting and bringing SACON to the presentposition of leadership. The continued suc-cess and development of the college is de-pendent on expansion of the limited facili-ties that we have. For example, the library issituated in an 8 by 8 meter room that is

inadequate for the current level of usage. Thepractical laboratory is even smaller (4 by 8meters), and inadequate for the currentnumbers, let alone for the projected increase.The needs for an appropriate study environ-ment for up to 100 students cannot be metwithin such cramped facilities. The sevenfaculty members are crammed into foursmall offices. The two class rooms are notbig enough for the projected increase in en-rollments. A larger lecture theater is needed,as well as a computer laboratory.

God has called us to be the head and notthe tail and that is where SACON is today.God will provide in a way that will strengthenHis witness in Papua New Guinea. ❑

SDA Schools of NursingARGENTINA—River Plate Adventist Univ. Dept. of NursingAUSTRALIA—Avondale College School of NursingBOLIVIA—Bolivia Adventist Univ. School of NursingBOTSWANA—Kanye SDA College of NursingBRAZIL—Brazil College School of Nursing; Manaus Adventist Hospi-tal School of Nursing; Silvestre Adventist Hospital School of NursingCONGO—Songa Adventist Hospital School of NursingCOSTA RICA—Central American Adventist Univ. School of NursingCROATIA—Adventist Seminary Croatia Junior CollegeGERMANY—Waldfriede Hospital School of NursingHAITI—Haitian Adventist College Dept. of NursingINDIA—Giffard Memorial Hospital School of Nursing; RanchiAdventist Hospital School of Nursing; Surat Hospital Trust Asso-ciation of SDA School of NursingINDONESIA—Indosesian Adventist Univ. School of NursingJAMAICA—Northern Caribbean Univ. Dept. of NursingJAPAN—Saniku Gakuin College Dept. of NursingKENYA—Univ. of Eastern Africa Baraton Dept. of NursingKOREA—Sahmyook Univ. Dept. of Nursing; Sahmyook Nursing &Health CollegeLESOTHO—Maluti Adventist Hospital School of NursingMALAWI—Malamulo College of Medical Sciences Nursing ProgramMALAYSIA—Adventist College of NursingMEXICO—Montemorelos Univ. Faculty of Nursing

NIGERIA—Adventist School of NursingPAPUA NEW GUINEA—Sopas Adventist Hosp. College of NursingPAKISTAN—Karachi Adventist Hospital School of NursingPERU—Peruvian Union Univ. School of Nursing and NutritionPHILIPPINES—Adventist Univ. of the Philippines College of Nurs-ing; Central Philippine Adventist College School of Nursing; Moun-tain View College Dept. of Nursing; Northern Luzon Adventist Col-lege Dept. of NursingPUERTO RICO—Antillian Adventist Univ. Dept. of NursingROMANIA—Romanian Adventist College of Health School of NursingRWANDA—Mugonero School of Nursing ScienceSOLOMON ISLANDS—Atoifi Adventist Hospital School of NursingTHAILAND—Mission College Faculty of NursingUGANDA—Ishaka Adventist Hospital Nursing Education ProgramUNITED STATES OF AMERICA—Andrews Univ. Dept. of Nursing;Atlantic Union College Dept. of Nursing; Columbia Union CollegeDept. of Nursing; Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences Dept.of Nursing; Kettering College of Medical Arts Division of Nursing;Loma Linda Univ. School of Nursing; Oakwood College Dept. ofNursing; Pacific Union College Dept. of Nursing; Southern AdventistUniv. Dept. of Nursing; Southwestern Adventist Univ. Dept. of Nurs-ing; Union College Division of Health Science Nursing Program; WallaWalla College School of NursingZAMBIA—Mwami Adventist Hospital School of Nursing


Loma Linda University School ofNursing (LLUSN) is part of aninternational network of SDA schools

of nursing. Since October1997, when we hosted anInternational SDA NurseEducators Conference, June2000, when we publishedan international directory ofSDA schools of nursing,and July 2000, when wehosted a Nursing FacultySummer Seminar for theNorth American Division,we have become better ac-quainted with our sister in-stitutions and their oppor-tunities and challenges. Aswe have shared our joys andconcerns, we have seen in what ways we cansupport and strengthen each other.

One of the ways that LLUSN is con-tributing to our sister institutions abroadis to help with faculty development. Forthose institutions which have access tograduate nursing education in their region,we have a short-term Faculty MentorshipProgram which can be arranged throughour Office of International Nursing. Fornursing schools with limited financial re-sources and do not have access to graduatenursing programs in their region, we have

set aside one graduate tuition scholarshipeach year. To qualify, the nurse educatormust be a SDA, have the equivalent of a

baccalaureate nursing de-gree, have a faculty ap-pointment in an SDAschool of nursing, andhave the written commit-ment of that institutionto cover transportationcosts, lodging, and boardfor the time that it takesto complete the graduateprogram.

Thus far, we havehelped in the developmentof nurse faculty for fourSDA nursing programs.The four nurse educators

are: Vertibelle Awoniyi of Ile-Ife AdventistSchool of Nursing in Nigeria; Ruth Gonzalesof Montemorelos University in Mexico;Heather Fletcher of Northern CaribbeanUniversity in Jamaica; and Adelaide Carociof Instituto Adventista de Ensino in SaoPaolo, Brazil.

Each of these nurse educators are mak-ing a great contribution in their setting.Their stories tell us how the Lord has ledthem throughout their lives and how He isusing them even now to minister to Hispeople. Let me share their stories:

Reaching Out to InternationalSDA Schools of Nursing

by Helen E. King, dean, LLUSN

Helen E. King


• Vertibelle Awoniyi wasthe first nurse educator to beassisted. She was born on theisland of Jamaica in the WestIndies. After earning RN andmidwifery diplomas in Englandin 1961, she proceeded toCanada to work as a nurse. In1966, she made a decision towork for God. After muchprayer and intensive searchingfor where to go, she received acall to Nigeria from the Cana-dian University Services Over-seas (CUSO). She worked inEast Nigeria as director of nurs-ing in a 28-bed maternity hospital. The con-tract was for two years, but due to the civilwar in the country at that time, she left theeast after seven months and was transferredto Ile-Ife SDA Hospital, where she workedas a ward supervisor.

While there, she met and married JoelDada Awoniyi, a graduate of Andrews Uni-versity and a faculty member of the AdventistSeminary of West Africa (ASWA), nowBabcock University. In 1974, they returnedto Andrews University where her husbandobtained his doctor of theology degree andshe received a bachelor’s degree in nursing anda master’s degree in home economics. Afterreturning to ASWA, Vertibelle started a clinicin the community, which later became Cot-tage Hospital. She also worked as food ser-vices director, food industry director, andschool nurse for 18 years. She was associateprofessor of home economics for about tenyears. She enjoyed teaching and supervisingstudents, providing health lectures inchurches, communities, and schools.

In 1993, the SDA School of Nursing,which the Nigerian Government had taken

over for more than ten years, was returnedto the church. Vertibelle was asked to takeover the leadership of rehabilitating and re-establishing the nursing school, In October1994, after the inspection of the school bythe Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ni-geria, they accepted their first class of stu-dent nurses in the reorganized school.

To be principal of a school of nursing inNigeria, Vertibelle needed to be qualified as anurse educator. Therefore, in October 1994,she came to Loma Linda for advanced studyin nursing education. After completing gradu-ate courses in nursing, nursing education, andeducation at both Loma Linda UniversitySchool of Nursing and La Sierra UniversitySchool of Education, she returned to Nige-ria to resume her position as principal.

The Ile-Ife School of Nursing has gradu-ated four classes so far (sixty nurses total)which have earned marks of 100 percent threetimes and 99 percent only once. Vertibellefeels that the education, sponsorship, teach-ing aids, and contacts she received throughLLU were essential in making SDA nursingeducation a reality in Nigeria. In all these

Ile-Ife Hospital compound where Vertibelle Awoniyiheads the School of Nursing


accomplishments, she continues to give gloryto God for His goodness, love, and mercy.

• The second nurse educator to come toLoma Linda University, Ruth Gonzales, ison the faculty of Montemorelos University.She was born in Barranca Bermeja, Colom-bia, of a single mother who was introducedto the Seventh-day Adventist church earlyin her life, but for many years did not up-hold the principles disseminated by thechurch. Despite that, she remembers as achild the visitation of pastors and otherchurch leaders who taught her the principlesof the Bible early in her life. They encour-aged her mother to send her children toChristian schools.

“My mother was a hard working personwho wanted her children to be educated ina Christian institution. My older sister wasthe first to attend an Adventist school. Dur-ing vacations, when she came back home sheintentionally kept the Sabbath and invitedus to keep it with her. My mother could not

keep the fourth com-mandment becauseshe needed to work onthat day. I accompa-nied my sister tochurch on Sabbathand at the proper timeI also attended thesame Adventist school,known today asAdventist Universityof Colombia.

“Following in thesteps of my sister, I wasbaptized at the age of12. I took my siblingsto church to exposethem to the Adventistmessage. I prayed for

my mother and encouraged her to get re-bap-tized. She finally renounced all obstacles thatseparated her from God and moved toMedellin to look for better opportunities.Financially, these were the most difficult timesof our lives. There were occasions when, inspite of her hard work, there was no food inthe house. The cafeteria workers gave ourmother permission to come into the kitchenand take food remaining in the pots after allstudents had eaten. The food was deliciousto me and to my brothers and sisters. Thiswas one of the ways we survived those finan-cially difficult times.

“Until her death, my mother was faith-ful to the teachings of the church, even dur-ing times when we lacked material things.We witnessed a mother who trusted God tosupply our needs day by day. My motherdreamed and prayed that her children wouldhave the doors opened someday to study inanother country. Her dreams and prayerswere fulfilled.

Ruth Gonzales, faculty member at Montemorelos University Schoolof Nursing, makes a presentation at the Global Partnership Seminar

in Costa Rica, May 2000.


“In Medellin I worked for the wife ofthe college director, doing janitorial work forfour years. I had to clean 16 classrooms aday, plus the halls and bathrooms. Myyounger brothers would help me in this workfrom 1:00 to 11:00 P.M.

Mrs. Maria Fisher Krieghoff, thedirector’s wife, appreciated my work. Sheoften said I was her “right arm.” From herand from my mother I learned the meaningof hard work, responsibility, and neatness.Mrs. Krieghoff would help me clean andtaught me how to clean well. The fact thatthe director’s wife would get on her kneeswith me to clean the bathrooms was an in-spiration to me. I owe to God, my mother’sprayers, and to this woman the opportunityto study at Montemorelos University. For in1970, when the Krieghoffs moved toMexico, they arranged for me to study atthis renowned Mexican institution.

“It took me three years to complete anassociate degree at Montemorelos, whichwas all they offered at the time. I had towork hard in different departments of theinstitution to pay my tuition and board-ing. I worked for two years at a hospital inMexicali in the area of obstetrics and pedi-atrics. In 1977, I returned to Montemorelosto complete my BS and worked at the uni-versity hospital in all the departments anurse could work. This was a beneficial,growing experience for me.

“In 1985, I was invited to be the direc-tor of the School of Nursing, which I hesi-tated to accept because I believed a personin that office needed to have a master’s de-gree. Montemorelos University did not of-fer the master’s degree at the time. Somefriends encouraged me to take the challengeand to study for the master’s degree in a nearbypublic university. I began the program, but

could not continue because of my heavyteaching and administrative responsibilities.

“In 1991, I requested a study leave. Atthat time, Dr. Ismael Castillo, the presidentof the university, talked to Dr. King, deanof the LLUSN, about the possibility of mypursuing a master’s degree at Loma LindaUniversity. In December 1991, I had theinterview with her and by September 1993,I was taking my first courses.

“The master’s degree did great things forme at the intellectual and spiritual levels.Studying in a language I did not know wasan experience that brought me closer to Godlike never before. I had to depend on himand he did not disappoint me. I could see hishand guiding and helping me along the wayday by day. I still cherish this wonderful ex-perience, which I do not want to lose. I alsomet Christian people at this university whoextended their helping hand to me and wereespecially helpful in encouraging me at mo-ments when I was ready to quit. When somedoors closed covering my life with darkness,other windows opened, allowing me to seethe light again and to breathe the fresh breezeof hope. This experience has brought mecloser to my students, today. When they needme, my office doors are opened to them, evenwhen I’m very busy.

“The master’s degree improved consid-erably the content and delivery of my classes.I learned that teaching is more than giving,it is also receiving and leading students tolearn for themselves. Teachers need to modeland equip pupils so they become able to doresearch on their own and find what theyneed. The empirical and cognitive knowl-edge I obtained while working on this de-gree at Loma Linda made me a more effi-cient employee, which won for me the con-fidence of my fellow workers.


“I am greatly indebted to those who, de-spite my deficiencies and insufficient knowl-edge of the English language, believed in meand saw my potential. I am much indebtedto the administration of the School of Nurs-ing of Loma Linda University and their fac-ulty. Today, I am intellectually and spiritu-ally better equipped to impart wholistic edu-cation. This is an institution that I’ll alwayskeep close to my heart and to which I’ll al-ways be indebted.”

• The third nurse educator to study atLoma Linda was Heather Fletcher. She wasborn in a non-SDA family, the third of fourchildren and the only girl. She accepted theSDA message at the age of 15 years whenevangelistic meetings were held in her com-munity. She had strong family opposition,

but her church familysupported her. She leftpublic school andwent to an SDAschool where she wassupported by theteachers and churchfamily. Today, hermother and youngestbrother are SDA.

Heather was ableto get through nursingschool by participatingin a work-study pro-gram at Northern Car-ibbean University, for-merly West Indies Col-lege, where she com-pleted requirementsfor the RN degree in1985. She taught therefrom 1986 to 1989,then 1994 to 1996.She worked from 1985

to 1986 at Andrews Memorial Hospital, from1989 to 1991 at the University Hospital ofthe West Indies, and from 1991 to 1994 atMandeville Public Hospital.

Heather is presently acting director ofthe nursing department at Northern Carib-bean University. Since assuming that role,she has developed a procedures manual forthe nursing department; revised the nursingcurriculum for the new bulletin; worked onan accreditation document for the depart-ment; conducted seminars and workshopsfor the government and private hospitals andfor other health-related non-governmentalorganizations; and conducted annual depart-mental workshops. She also completed a re-search project on adherence and quality oflife in elderly hypertensive patients, which

Heather Fletcher, acting director of Northern CaribbeanUniversity’s department of nursing in Jamaica, celebrates with her

family at her graduation from LLU in June 1998.


she had started at LLU. The research find-ings were presented at an international re-search conference and have resulted in fivelocal publications so far.

What she learned at LLU has affectedher present practice. She now uses studentinvolvement strategies and methods tostimulate critical thinking in her teaching.She recommended a health assessment labsession with theory-building interest for re-search in students as early as second year,plus involving students in data collection;joined the Nurses Association of Jamaica forinvolvement in the political machinery innursing; initiated the utilization of a nurs-ing framework for the undergraduate cur-riculum; recommended new strategies forbetter outcomes in clinical scheduling andsupervision of students; and worked as a re-source person on the university campus, tothe Ministry of Health in Jamaica, and tothe private sector.

• The fourth nurse educator, AdelaideCaroci, is presently studying here at LLU.She quotes from Acts 10:34: “I now realizehow true it is that God does not show favor-itism, but accepts men from every nationwho fear him and do what is right.”

Adelaide is the oldest of a large familyin northern Brazil. Her father heard of theAdventist truth through an Adventistgentleman who shared his faith in the localCatholic Church he attended. Her momhad been brought up in an environmentdarkened by spiritualism and witchcraft.Even though she was not committed to anyreligion, she always prayed to God the Cre-ator of heaven and earth, and for this rea-son felt she was protected from the “evilthings” that happened around her. Her par-ents were baptized together in the Adventistchurch in the early seventies.

From their union, five children wereborn. Neither parent had the opportunityto go to school. They had to work hard inlow-paying jobs to keep up with the largefamily. Even though they had little educa-tion, it did not hold them back in their workfor the Lord. They were pioneers with otherbelievers in starting new churches and shar-ing the gospel with others.

From the time the children were little,they were told that one day they would goto a Christian school. In the early eightiesthe family immigrated to Sao Paulo. The re-sources were few, but God always providedshelter and food. Adelaide still rememberswalking miles to go to church because theyhad no transportation. The opportunity togo to a Christian school came when she was12. After her father’s retirement, her parentswere moving to the countryside when theyheard that Adelaide would be able to get ascholarship to an Adventist boarding school.

Adelaide says, “Leaving home at twelvewas one of the most difficult decisions myparents and I had to make. God’s plans werebigger than ours. Even though my parentswere not able to help financially, they prayed,encouraged me in every step, and applaudedmy every accomplishment. After junior high,I went to a boarding academy where I tookaccounting, even though I loved sciences.That was the only course offered to studentswho like me needed to work during the dayto pay school expenses. We experienced God’spower in helping us to succeed, even thoughwe did not have enough time to study. In thatschool I got acquainted with Christian teach-ers and people from all over Brazil who en-couraged me in my walk with God.

“After high school, I had to take a selec-tion exam for admission to the nursing pro-gram at Brazilian Adventist College (now


University). I felt my call to be a nurse wasconfirmed when I passed that exam. TheLord helped me to review in two monthsthe whole physics, chemistry, and biologycontent taught in a regular high school pro-gram, which I was not able to take becauseI needed to work. The same organizationthat supported me earlier when I was 12offered me a scholarship to go throughnursing school.

“After finishing nursing school, I wentto a year-long cardiac nursing residency pro-gram promoted by the Heart Institute Uni-versity of Sao Paulo. I completed the pro-gram and worked at that institute for oneand a half years in a clinical cardiac ICU. Atthe same time, I taught some medical-surgi-cal classes as a volunteer at the AdventistSchool of Nursing.

“One of my dreams was to be able tolearn a new language and to become a stu-dent missionary. Because it had not beenpossible to do so while I was in school, I leftmy job and came to the United States tolearn English so I could go somewhere as amissionary. I really loved my job in Brazil,but I was afraid of becoming secular like thepeople around me. For this reason I left.

“I went to Southwestern Adventist Uni-versity, where I had the opportunity to studyEnglish for a year. During my time there Ifelt the desire to study for a master’s degreein nursing. Loma Linda University was myfirst choice, but I thought it was impossiblesince there were no scholarships available forforeign students. Even though I prayed andsent an e-mail request to the LLU Interna-tional Nursing Council, my faith was weak.But God was working ‘silently.’ It was a sur-prise to receive a message from Dr. Pat Jonesthat there was an opening for me to come toLLUMC for a clinical mentorship program.

“To make a long story short, the Lordopened a door for me that went beyond thementorship program. LLUSN has providedme a tuition scholarship that enables me tobe in their master’s program. When I com-plete the master’s degree, I will return to myschool in Brazil to teach nursing. Also, I wouldlike to work as a nurse researcher on preven-tion of cardiac disease. I want to be able toinspire others to live a better life and to be-lieve in God’s plans for each one of us.

“I have learned that no matter wherewe come from in our social level or ourabilities, He can use and mold us to do Hiswill. Like in the story found in the verse Iquoted in the beginning: God does notshow favoritism! I could not do anythingon my own, but He chose me and gave megreat opportunities that I and my familynever dreamt about. I am very satisfied witheverything God has done for me and thank-ful for the people who have allowed Himto use them to help me. I pray He will giveme strength to be faithful until the end,like my dear daddy who just recently passedaway and is waiting for the second comingof the Lord.”

Loma Linda University School of Nurs-ing has been blessed with these dedicatedyoung women who have come here to study,determined to serve their Lord wherever andin whatever role He needs them. This jointendeavor has taken the commitment andmaterial resources of all the institutions in-volved. In return, we have each gained agreater appreciation of the intellectual andorganizational talents of the nurse educa-tors who are a part of the SDA system ofnursing education around the world andhow God has used each of us to accom-plish His work. We invite you to join us inthis outreach endeavor. ❑


The six-passenger Cessna came in fastand low and the pilot applied thebrakes as soon as the wheels hit the

dirt strip. The plane stopped before reach-ing the sheer mountain wallat the end of a one-way dirtstrip in the mountains ofLesotho, Africa. I was sched-uled to give immunizationsfor the Under-Five pediatricclinic that day.

The Flying Doctor Ser-vice of Lesotho has a 30-yearhistory of providing care tothe very isolated rural popu-lation. Each clinic was staffedby a nurse and an assistant.Visits by the nurse mid-wifefor prenatal care, the doctorfor serious problems, and a staff nurse for im-munizations were scheduled, each on a sepa-rate day. Resource staff members were flownto each village clinic once or twice a month.(Mission Aviation Fellowship had the con-tract to provide an airplane and a pilot.)For all other common health problems, thepeople who lived in the surrounding areacame to see the nurse who regularly staffedand managed the clinic. The goal of theLesotho government was that nurses in thistype of rural clinic would be able to diag-nose and treat 95 percent of the people whocame to the clinic. Nurses recognized thatapproximately 5 percent of patient prob-lems would be beyond their scope of prac-tice, and need to be referred to the hospital.

The concept of a nurse-managed clinic,especially in developing countries, was bornout of necessity. There simply are not enoughphysicians available to care for all of the

health problems of all thepeople. If a country is to pro-vide health care for its citi-zens, some method otherthan physician care must beemployed. Primary healthcare is said to be essentialcare which is available to in-dividuals and families withina community through theirfull participation, and pro-vided at a cost that the com-munity and country can af-ford (WHO, 1978).

Abramson (1984) saysthat community oriented primary care is anintegrated system which combines the cureof individuals and families in the commu-nity and public health principles. The focusis on the community and its subgroups; ser-vices are planned, provided, and evaluated.

Now let me introduce you to NaphtalRucibwa and his wife, Damaris Nyira-baligira. Naphtal is currently finishing adoctor of public health degree in the Schoolof Public Health at Loma Linda Universityand Damaris is completing her bachelor’s de-gree in nursing in the School of Nursing,also at Loma Linda University. Naphtal tellsme that their original training was the same,but in their home country of Rwanda, he iscalled a medical assistant, while she is called

Come Fly (to Clinic) with Meby Dolores Wright

Dolores Wright


a nurse. While working for Adventist De-velopment and Relief Agency (ADRA),Naphtal supervised seven village health cen-ters in Rwanda. Each had a nurse or medi-cal assistant who livedin the village next tothe health center.

Each health centerhad three areas of em-phasis. The first areawas that of curativecare. People who wereill came to the healthcenter to be diagnosedand treated. Eachmorning the patients who came were triagedso that those with serious problems couldbe seen first and those with less serious prob-lems were seen later in the day. As these pa-tients and accompanying family memberswaited for their turn to be seen, health top-ics were presented by trained clinic assistantsor village health workers.

The second area of focus was on preven-tive care, with two main thrusts: maternalchild health (MCH) and HIV prevention.The MCH program included immuniza-tions, growth monitoring, identifying mal-nutrition, providing nutrition for children,treating sick children, and health educationon topics of concern to families with babiesand small children. Mothers were taughtabout normal growth and development, howto make oral rehydration fluid, techniquesof breast-feeding, importance of immuniza-tions for the children, feeding (good nutri-tion), and family planning methods. HIVprevention education about how the diseaseis spread and methods to prevent it was pro-vided to all.

The third area of focus was health pro-motion, aimed at helping people to have a

better lifestyle and standard of living. At first,a community garden was planted with seedswhich ADRA provided, but the goal was toteach the people how to improve their diet

(and thus their healthstatus) with local pro-duce. Animal hus-bandry was taught toimprove the amountand quality of proteinavailable for the vil-lager’s diet. Family hy-giene was demon-strated and the villagehealth workers assisted

families in the building of latrines.I asked Naphtal what were the most

common types of illnesses or diseases seenin the clinics. He said that many people hadupper respiratory infections (URI) such aspneumonia, flu, and bronchitis. Malaria is aconstant problem for young and old alike.Many people came to the clinic with sometype of intestinal disease like worms, diar-rhea, or amoeba. When Naphtal mentionedamoeba, I remembered my own experienceswith amoebic dysentery while living inEthiopia. Recurrent fever, eye problems, oti-tis media, and simple wounds were moreexamples of what the nurses would diagnoseand treat on any given clinic day.

“What were some of the problems thenurse could not manage?” I asked. Naphtalsaid that if patients came into the clinic withsome type of trauma or broken bones theywould be stabilized and sent to the hospital.The nurses in the health center assisted withnormal deliveries, but were not trained toperform a Cesarean-section delivery. Patientswith intestinal obstructions or hernias weresent to the hospital, as were persons withtuberculosis. I wondered what percentage of

Naphtal Rucibwa and his wife, Damaris


problems the nurses could manage and whatportion needed referral. Naphtal estimatedthat 80 to 90 percent of patients could beseen and successfully treated at the health cen-ters by the nurses and about 10 percent wouldneed to be sent to the hospital. The healthcenters Naphtal supervised in Rwanda werelarger and more comprehensive in scope thanthe clinic I worked with in Lesotho, but inboth cases direct primary health care was pro-vided by nurses with a monthly or biweeklyvisit scheduled by a physician. This visit serveda two-fold purpose: patients with more diffi-cult problems could obtain treatment, and thenurses would gain additional education andtraining to keep their clinical skills current.

The clinics or village health centers de-scribed above certainly fulfilled the defini-tion of community-oriented primary care.

Global Partnerships in Nursingfor Wholistic Nursing Care

by Patricia S. Jones

With 53 schools of nursing in 33countries, the challenge of being a connected and function-

ing system of Seventh-day Adventist nurs-ing education is not small. At the sametime, the strength and richness that canresult from being a global system is immea-surable.

Sharing a common philosophy ofwholeness, and of health care as caring forthe whole person, faculty in Seventh-dayAdventist schools of nursing around the

world are committed to strengthening theirpractice of caring based on a greater under-standing of whole-person care in their vari-ous cultures. The nursing discipline in gen-eral, and SDA nursing in particular, haslong identified the total human being asits focus of concern.

As a way of joining hands in a globaleffort to strengthen our interaction, ourpractice, and our connectedness, LomaLinda University School of Nursing devel-oped a project called Global Partnerships

Naphtal stated that the health centers he su-pervised had gained the support of the localgovernment officials because of the inte-grated aspects of primary care and publichealth, and because care was available to allpeople, not just those affiliated with a par-ticular religious denomination.

In some cases, nurses provide the onlyhealth care available to people in rural villages.In other situations, nurses provide a link be-tween the village people and other health careproviders such as physicians and hospitals. ❑

ReferencesAbramson, J. H. (1984). “Application of

Epidemiology in Community Oriented Pri-mary Care.” Public Health Report. 99 (5): 437.

World Health Organization. (1978). Pri-mary Health Care. Geneva: WHO.


in Nursing for Wholistic Nursing Care. Theproject was designed as a four-year program,focusing first on three major sections of theworld field—Asia, Central and SouthAmerica, and Euro-Africa—followed in thefourth year by an international conveningof representatives from all of those areas fora concluding integration of the richly diverseperspectives.

Funding for the project was sought fromand generously provided by the Ralph andCarolyn Thompson Charitable Founda-tion. Phase One of the project focused onAsia. Task force seminars and workshopswere held in Hong Kong, India, Korea, Ja-pan, the Philippines, and Thailand. Partici-pants attended from other countries as well,including China, Indonesia, and Malaysia.Examination of cultural beliefs and prac-tices about health, health care and specifi-cally nursing care was a focus in each con-text. Professional challenges faced in teach-

ing, clinical practice, and administrationwere also addressed in each setting. Dr.Alwyn Galway, dean of the School of Nurs-ing at Avondale College in Australia, andDr. Siriporn Tantipoonvinai, president ofMission College in Thailand, served as con-sultants and speakers for the sessionsthroughout Asia. Dr. Galway commented,“The high level of enthusiasm [for the semi-

nars] demon-strated thevalue placedon the work-shops and theirrelevance toboth nursingc u r r i c u l u mand practice.There was awide range ofattendees andfree exchangeof ideas amongjunior and se-nior lecturersand clinicalnursing staff.”

Phase Oneof the project

ended in August of 1999 with a regional con-ference held in Chiangmai, Thailand, at-tended by participants from all the countriesin which the taskforce groups had previouslybeen held. The conference was co-sponsoredby LLUSN and the Faculty of Nursing at Mis-sion College, Bangkok, Thailand.

Phase Two of the project is currently fo-cusing on Central and South America. Thefirst seminar was held at the Adventist Uni-versity of Central America in Costa Rica, inMay 2000. Besides Costa Rica, participantscame from SDA hospitals and educational

Global Partnership in Nursing regional conference in Chiangmai,Thailand, August 1999. The conference was co-sponsored by Mission

College faculty of nursing and Loma Linda University School of Nursing.


institutions in many countries in the InterAmerican Division including Honduras, Ja-maica, Netherlands Antilles, and Mexico.Other seminars arescheduled in Argentinaand Brazil in September,with a concluding re-gional conference inBrazil, December 2000.

Phase Three of theproject will focus on Eu-rope and Africa. Plans arestill developing for thatyear of the project. As inthe two previous phases,the unique complexitiesof the challenges faced inthe vastly different coun-tries of this territory willprovide both challengeand opportunities for communication and in-teraction between professionals and institu-tions. Hopefully, small and large hospitals andschools of nursing throughout the region willbe strengthened through linkages with other

From left: EdelweissRamal, chair, depart-ment of nursing, Monte-morelos University, Mex-ico; Patricia S. Jones,professor, LLUSN; Ra-mona Greek, assistantprofessor, LLUSN; JuliaElena Ortiz, director,School of Nursing, UNA-DECA. They were photo-graphed while attendingthe Global PartnershipSeminar in Costa Rica,May 2000.

Dr. and Mrs. Thompson

sister institutions and by functioning as part-ners in the system. Progress toward establish-ing an international network of global part-

nerships will be achieved.Phase Four of the

project, the world-wideinternational convention,will be the time for syn-thesis and integration ofthe rich cross-cultural in-sights learned in the pre-vious three years and cre-ation of a structure onwhich to hang the beliefs,values and practicesmeaningful to all groups.Strategies for maintainingthe linkages established inearlier phases will be de-signed, so that what was

started in the Global Partnerships in Nursingfor Wholistic Nursing Care project will con-tinue around the globe in the ongoing part-nerships and connections of a strongly in-teracting SDA system of nursing. ❑


First International SDA NurseEducators Conference

by Nancy L. YuenReprinted with permission from the Summer 1998 edition of SCOPE,

published by Loma Linda University.

The first International Seventh-dayAdventist Nurse Educators Confer-ence, titled “Leaders in Action,”

took place in Loma Linda from October 20to 24, 1997. This historic conference wasthe result of three years of planning, at therequest of the General Conference of Sev-enth-day Adventists to have a conferencewhere nursing educators from Adventistschools around the world could meet andshare their expertise, trends in nursing, andlearn from each other. When Helen E. King,PhD, RN, dean of the School of Nursing,

agreed to take on thishuge project she in-vited Ruth WeberEdD, RN, associateprofessor of nursing,to be the coordinator.It was decided that inorder to effectivelymeet the needs ofthese visiting nursingprofessionals, it wasnecessary to knowwhat they, and theschools they repre-sented, were most in-terested in learning. Asurvey was designedand sent to the schoolsfor their input, and

the conference was then tailored to fit thoseresponses. According to Patricia Jones, PhD,RN, professor and chair, LLU InternationalNursing Council, a committee organizedand led by Dr. Weber and “consisting ofpeople from the School of Nursing, Medi-cal Center, and the community, planned thedetails of the conference so it would meetthe needs of the people who came and wouldalso be an up-to-date nursing professionalmeeting.” The conference featured 41 par-ticipants from around the world. Delegatesfrom Argentina, Australia, Botswana, Brazil,

Attendees of the first International Seventh-day Adventist NurseEducators Conference, held in Loma Linda in October 1997,

gather for a photo.


Costa Rica, Croatia, Indonesia,India, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru,the Philippines, Romania, andThailand were welcomed.Throughout the week, attendeesparticipated in a variety of work-shops centered on topics such asnursing trends, curriculum devel-opment, and spirituality in nurs-ing and nursing education. Key-note speaker for the conference wasPatricia Benner, PhD, RN, from the Univer-sity of California, San Francisco. Her speechwas titled “Clinical Teaching, Clinical Learn-ing: Links Between Ethical and Clinical Judg-ment.” Following her presentation, the inter-national participants had the opportunity to

relate their professional ex-periences in an unique shar-ing symposium. One of thehighlights of the conferencewas a talk given by SiripornTanti-poonvinai, PhD, RN,from Thailand. Her presen-tation, titled “SpiritualTeaching in Non-ChristianSettings,” was greatly en-joyed by all those present.As the conference drew to a

close, an opportunity was given for partici-pants to express their specific needs. Amongthe many requests made was the strong de-sire for this type of a meeting to happen again.Dr. King has since committed to holdinganother conference in the near future. ❑

Nancy L. Yuen

AIMS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONCriteria for AIMS membership:

Be a SDA health professional interested in supporting continuing education in health-relatedfields. International chapters will set their own fees and retain the monies.

Name ____________________________________________________________________________Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Occupation:❑ MD ❑ DDS ❑ DO ❑ RN ❑ MPH ❑ Student Other ____________________

Specialty _________________________________________________________________________

Select Membership:❑ Life US $1,000❑ Regular $100❑ Retired full-time denominational employee $25❑ Student $10

Return form with payment to:Adventist International Medical Society11245 Anderson Street, Suite 200Loma Linda, CA 92354 USA

Membership includes a subscription to the AIMS JOURNAL.


ES: Dr. Handysides, it is a pleasure forAIMS to speak to you again. What good thingshave you seen around the world?

AH: I am excited by the many Adventisthealth workers who are dedicated to thechurch and dedicated to the Lord Jesus. Thatgives a great sense of security and of encour-agement, because everywhere I go I see menand women who have a purpose. They arenot practicing just for money. They recog-nize that they have a responsibility to theLord to represent Him in their practices; andI have been very encouraged by what I haveseen throughout the world.

In Australia and New Zealand, in par-ticular, we have some very, very fine physi-cians who are experts and great cliniciansdoing a wonderful missionary work.

ES: You mainly contact Seventh-dayAdventist institutions. Discuss your relationshipwith the private Adventist health professionals?

AH: I am not just contacting health in-stitutions. More and more, I realize thehealth ministry is multifaceted. There is theinstitutional facet, which is important. Thenthere is the very important facet dealing withlifestyle issues and with the pastorate. Thenthere are the individual practitioners that wehave been meeting with in conferences.We’ve been discussing previously some of ourthoughts about how we could perhaps netthose private practitioners into the organizedwork. Adventist Health International (AHI)is working primarily now with institutions

but, as I said to their administrators, I feelthat we need to expand and look at the pri-vate health practitioner and see if we can’tincorporate him into the umbrella of churchwork and give him a sense of ownership ofthe church.

The church belongs to the membership,not just to the administration and to the in-stitutional corporations and so forth. Un-less we can get out of that mold of thinkingwe become somewhat stultified and institu-tionalized in our scope.

ES: We are trying to publish an issue of theAIMS Journal where we present different for-mats of running health institutions from pri-vate to totally church-owned and we believe thatthis is a time of very fast change that challengesus to adapt even faster to catch up with differ-ent economies and cultures. On your trips youhave seen different organizational schemes. Canyou tell us what your impression is at this point?

AH: We need to be very flexible and adap-tive in our planning and in our actions so thatwe can be all things to all men as far as Chris-tianity and the health message are concerned.

I don’t feel that we need to be hard andfast in any one particular model. If there areother models that would be better function-ing and better in different situations, weshould be open to them; we need to be flex-ible and adaptive enough so that we are will-ing to ride with variety.

Our standards need to be reflective of thereality of the situation. Having said that, we

Interview with Dr. Allan HandysidesDirector of Health Ministries, General Conference

by Eloy Schulz, MD, AIMS president


need to achieve the highest possible standardsthat we can in whatever location we may be.

It’s very difficult to come up with a modelthat will fit every circumstance. If we can de-velop a model that is inherently malleable,flexible, adaptable to the situation, then thatis the model that we should follow. The prin-ciple that will lead to the optimal model isrecognition of the integrity of our individualAdventist health practitioners, a model that

recognizes their integrity and commitment todo their very best for the Lord and for thechurch in their particular location.

When our policy recognizes that integ-rity, then we can empower them to developthe ways that they want to do.

This doesn’t mean in any way that I en-visage tearing down our present work andour present institutional work. I want to seeour work grow. In fact, nothing would bring

Drs. Handysides (center) and Schulz are joined by an unidentified guest at the AIMS exhibitat the 57th General Conference Session in Toronto, July 2000. More than 50 health

professionals attended a mid-week AIMS meeting chaired by Dr. Schulz.


me greater satisfaction than to see the healthwork flourishing and growing like a greatfruit-bearing tree. But I don’t see that we aregoing to be able to accomplish this by fol-lowing the traditional methods we have fol-lowed in the past. The realities of economicsituations are hitting us hard, even here inNorth America.

Our objective is to stretch out the rightarm of the message, to touch people wherethey are. Our number one aim has to be min-istry. If the church ministers, the baptismswill come automatically. So if we can placeministry into the health ministries, we willaccomplish great things. I want to see thechurch grow by whatever means and ways itcan. We have to build up the church andmove with the times. We cannot be inflex-ible to change.

ES: Many hospitals are having seriousproblems now. Some are facing closure and somehave recently closed. Do you have any workingmodels to resuscitate or revive these institutionsor do we just have to let them go?

AH: Over the years our institutionshave evolved in local situations, taking ad-vantage of maybe a political situation or afunding situation that at the time seemedappropriate. And then with changes in thelocal economic community, sometimes wehave found ourselves in situations where wecannot carry on an institution based on itsmodus operandi of yesteryear. For instance,some of our dental clinics were function-ing in situations where they could chargean economically sound, basic unit andcould operate a unit. Today, with devalua-tion, some of those economic units justcannot afford to pay for modern dentistry.Now, unless we can come tip with someplan where we can pay them from the out-side, they face closure. A situation like that

is under a very serious shadow of viability.That doesn’t mean that we have to close

it down; it means that we either come up withan alternative for funding or else we perhapstransfer from one location to another.

I also see a large number of private prac-titioners working independently. If we couldsomehow engage them and bring them intothe church work, we would have a hugechurch health ministry. If they were willingto contribute a small portion of their opera-tion into a general fund, I think that wewould inject new strength into many of ourhealth care units. We could possibly fundthe operation of medical, dental, and otheroutreaches in situations that would other-wise not be economically viable.

If we could set up a system in whichpeople could do this without too much in-fringement on their autonomy, if theywould meet the standards of the church,contract themselves or covenant with theirpatients they would meet standards of com-passion, of honesty and integrity, and main-tain Christian ethics.

ES: You have touched on a subject that iscurrent. Would this force some hospitals to havetheir employees function as private practitio-ners in Adventist institutions?

AH: I have thought of that possibility,and it may become, in some situations, nota choice but a necessity. There are certaininstitutions where they have a large profes-sional employee group. If that employeegroup were to become self-supporting, againif there could be some type of frameworkwhere they would be franchisees within thesystem, I think that it would relieve a largeburden of operation from the denomination.It would also breed a greater degree of effi-ciency, and the bottom line then would bewatched at multiple levels by the individual


practitioners, instead of being watched at onecentral level by a business manager or anaccountant. There could be indisputablebenefits to the institution in that it wouldbe a true privilege for those physicians towork for the institution because Adventistinstitutions are good institutions.

We have much to offer in terms of con-tinuing education and career development.We have a strong network of collegiality thatcan in some isolated places offer a good spiritof camaraderie. We have a great network ofprocurement of medical equipment that farexceeds that of an isolated practitioner in aThird World country. And by using the net-work of Adventism, we could build up ourprivate practitioners to really stand headand shoulders above their counterparts inthe community. Then they would countthemselves privileged to be part of theAdventist work, and, of course the Lord’sblessing will be upon them doubly as theywork for Him. They will feel this blessing inevery aspect of their lives.

ES: Can you think of another aspect youwould like our readers to know about?

AH: I Would like to empower our work-ers and in particular our health workers, totake the ball and run with it. They under-stand their local circumstances, they know thevagaries and the peculiarities of governmentand what they are permitted to do and whatthey are not permitted to do, so I encouragethem to take that ball and really go with it.

Since I have come to the General Con-ference, I have thought, “What is my role?”And I have come to see myself as a drop ofoil. And if that’s all I am, that I can be ex-pended in the machinery of other people butmake their machinery run smoothly—thenthe General Conference Health Ministrieswill have performed its functions better. We

are not the engine—we definitely cannot bethe engine—there is a tiny little office orga-nization there. All we can do is encourage,support, lobby for and on behalf of thehealth work in whatever way is seen fit. Andif we can be seen as that and if we can func-tion in that way, we will achieve as much ascan be achieved by our situation.

ES: Now that you mention relationships,I wonder if we can do more than we have doneto spread the ideas from the General Confer-ence Health Ministries office to our readers.

Do you believe that an electronic AIMS jour-nal could help in this relationship and commu-nication among health p rofessionals? You prob-ably have an idea of how many have access tothe Internet and would be able to look us up onour webpage, www.aims-ministry.org.

AH: The electronic format is the future.At the present time 30-40% of your audi-ence is accessible via the Internet. We arein a transitional phase where it is necessaryto keep the printed form available for coun-tries not accessible to the Internet and alsomake the same material available for thosewho have ready access to the Web.

We have a webpage for the Health Min-istries Department of the General Confer-ence: www. health20-20.org. We would liketo see people such as the church health secre-taries tune in on Wednesdays to the GeneralConference Health Page, “Health 20/20.”

We would like to produce one-pagehealth information inserts for church bulle-tins. There is no reason why every churchcould not photocopy this page and put itinto their bulletins. A church of 30 mem-bers could have it just as well as a church of300. There are other ways and means of con-tacting more people through the Internet,and I would encourage you to go thatroute—there is a great future for it. ❑

Edward C. Allred, MDDonald K. Ashley, MDIra E. Bailie, MDJo Ellen Barnard, MDMarion C. Barnard, MDMarion C. Barnard, 11, MDCarl L. Bauer, MDGeneva K. Beatty, MDB. Lyn Behrens, MBBSGeorge N. Benson, MDRoy V. Berglund, MDFrances Rollin Bland, MDRobert H. Bossert, MDWalter A. Bozak, MD †Allan L. Brandt, MDJerome L. Bray, MDBurton A. Briggs, MDUrs M. Bryner, MDDeWayne E. Butcher, MDGlenn W. Bylsma, MDGeorge P. Cheng, MDThorvald W. Christiansen, MDEverett E. Coleman, MDWilliam A. Craig, MDThuan T. Dang, MDDelbert R. Dick, MD †Herbert L. Domke, MDRichard D. Dunbar, MDGerhardt L. Dybdahl, MD’William P. Dysinger, MDGeorge J. Falbisaner, MDEleanor R. Fanselau, MDHarold A. Fanselau, MDRichard A. Flaiz, MDGary K. Frykman, MDDavid K. Fukuda, MDGlenn D. Garbutt, MDMartha June Gardner, MDGerald J. Gelford, MD †Hervey W. Gimbel, MDHoward V. Gimbel, MDRandy H. Gleason, MDAudrey R. Glover, MDAlbert Gordon Goude, MDA. R. GroverWilliam D. Gruzensky, MDRichard S. Guthrie, MDRobert A. Hardesty, MD

Gary Herschel Harding, MDRalph D. Harris, MDLewis H. Hart, MDRichard H. Hart, MDHarvey E. Heidinger, MDLeo Herber, MDMarilyn J. Herber, MDRaymond Herber, MDArmando C. Hernandez, MDSteven W. Hildebrand, MDSteven E. Hodgkin, MDGustave H. Hoehn, MD †Robert E. Hopkins, MDRussell E. Hoxie Jr., MDRussell E. Hoxie Sr., MDIsabel Low Ing, MDCarl Jansen, MDClaran H. Jesse, MDJames A. Jetton, Sr., MDLawrence E. C. Joers, MD †Eleanor S. Johnson, MDHans B. JunebyElton R. Kerr, MDEdwin H. Krick, MDMorley R. Kutzner, MDRaymond L. Larsen, MDFrancis Y. Lau, MDEwald R. Looser, MDWilliam L. Lubke, MDVernon C. Luthas, MDM.C. Theodore Mackett, MDWalter M. Maier, MDReuben Matiko, MDRaymond L. Mayor, MDWilson C. McArthur, MDJames R. McKinney, MDRobert E. Morris, MDChanceford A. Mounce, MDNeil A. Nedley, MDHarry C. Nelson, MDFrances P. Noecker, MD †Kay K. Ota, MD †David J. Parsons, MDArnold L. Petersen, II, MDChester Pflugrad, MDThaine B. Price, MDNicholas E. Reiber, MDAlbert H. Reiswig, MD †

Elwyn L. Rexinger, MDSergio R. Riffel, MDAntonio E. Robles, MDRonald E. Rothe, MD †Richard L. Rouhe, MDRalph W. Royer, MDCharles A. Russell, MDElmar P. Sakala, MDDonald W. E. Schafer, MDMarlowe H. Schaffner, MDJudith M. Schnepper, MDEloy E. Schulz, MDWeldon D. Schumacher, MDRonald R. Scott, MDDonald R. Shasky, MDBernard M. Shucavage, MDStephen J. Skahen, MDGordon D. Skeoch, MDCarrol S. Small, MD †Donald A. Smith, MDRobert S. Sochor, MDRobert N. Spady, MDJohn D. Sproed, MDDonald L. Stilson, MDMildred A. R. Stilson, MDHoward 0. Stocker, MD †Kennard 0. Stoll, MD †Martin Strahan, MBBS, DrPHWilliam C. Swatek, MDGregory M. Taylor, MDW. Holmes Taylor, MDLarry L. Thomas, MDGordon W. Thompson, MDEric Tsao, MDEdgar 0. Vyhmeister, MDTheodore E. Wade, MD †William Wagner, MDRichard T. Walden, MD †Michael H. Walter, MDRandall W. Waring, MDJames M. Whitlock, MDGeorge J. Wiesseman, MDGlenn L. Wiltse, MDEveret W. Witzel, MDBryce J. Young, MDDaniel W. Young, MD

† = deceased

AIMS LIFE MEMBERSAs of August 31, 2000, AIMS has 142 Life Members


alumni who pioneered the way and demon-strated lives of service for the well-being ofothers. It has also been inspiring personallyto be reminded of the deep interdisciplinaryroots in our health care system. I commendand thank Elder Don Roth and Dr. EloySchulz for their decision to produce an is-sue of the AIMS Journal with a focus onnursing, and for the privilege of collabo-rating with the editors in its production. Iwould also like to thank all who contrib-uted by writing the various reports, my as-sistant Esther Zhang for her untiring ef-forts in getting it all to the editors on time,and above all, Dr. King for her continuedsupport for international outreach. Whileglobalization and interdisciplinary ap-proaches are not new to us, I hope that thereaders will experience renewed commit-ment to strengthening those aspects of ourprofessional and Christian service.

—Patricia S. JonesProfessor and Director

LLUSN Office of International Nursing

Editorial, continued from page 2


The AIMS JOURNAL is published by the AdventistInternational Medical Society, an organization ofSeventh-day Adventist physicians/healthprofessionals, and friends, dedicated to thepromotion of Adventist international health efforts.Bulk rate postage paid at Loma Linda, California.© Copyright September 2000, by the AdventistInternational Medical Society, Loma Linda, CA92354 USA. Current circulation: 2,750

Executive OfficersPresident: Eloy Schulz, MDPresident-elect: G. Gordon Hadley, MDSecretary: George Wiesseman, MDTreasurer/Membership: William Wagner, MDProject Director: Dunbar Smith, MDContinuing Education: Richard Hart, MDWebmaster: Rodney Willard, MDPast President: G. Gordon Hadley, MDExecutive Director: Dennis E. Park

PublicationEditor: Don RothAssociate Editor: Dennis E. ParkContributing Editor: William Wagner, MDManaging Editor: Kara S. Watkins

Contributing EditorsJorge Pamplona-Rogers, MD, SpainZildomar Deucher, MD, BrazilNephtali Valles Castillo, MD, MexicoPatrick Guenin, MD, FranceRonald Noltze, MD, GermanySam Daniyan, MD, NigeriaRicardo G. Salamante, Dr. HSc, MPH, & Pastor Bien V. Tejano, PhilippinesMilca Schmidt, VenezuelaAdrian Bocaneanu, RomaniaR.J. Butler, AustraliaDr. Edmil D. Marinov, BulgariaDr. Jairo Castaheda, ColombiaBernardo Meza, MD, HondurasGraciela Quispe, ArgentinaIvan Kasminin, MD, RussiaAntonio Solares, MID, Guatemala

AIMS operates in cooperation with the AlumniAssociation, School of Medicine of LomaLinda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354 USA

PLANNING FOROVERSEAS

MISSION SERVICE?

If you are heading overseas forshort-term, self-supporting

mission service, please contact theOffice of International Affairs,

Loma Linda University(909) 558-4420


Dentist Port-of-Spain, Trinidad

St. Vincent, West Indies

Lusaka, Zambia

Gweru, Zimbabwe

Peshawar, Pakistan (short-term relief )

Moscow, Russia (short-term relief )

Dermatologist SDA Medical Center, Okinawa (Japanese Registration Required)

Family/General Practice Koza Hospital, Cameroon

Makele Clinic, Ethiopia

Palau Seventh-day Adventist Clinic, Caroline Islands

Internal Medicine SDA Hospital Ile-Ife, Nigeria

OB/GYN Antillean Adventist Hospital, Netherlands Antilles

SDA Hospital Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Orthopaedic Surgeon Masanga Leprosy Hospital, Sierra Leone

Pathologist, Clinical Antillean Adventist Hospital, Netherlands Antilles

Pediatrician Guam SDA Clinic, Guam

SDA Hospital Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Surgeon/Medical Director SDA Cooper Hospital, Liberia, West Africa

OPENINGS FOR PHYSICIANS/DENTISTSFrom the Secretariat of the General Conference of SDAs

For more information, please callElaine A. Robinson

(301) 680-6666


GOALS OF THEADVENTIST INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL SOCIETY

Goals of the Society are in harmony with those of the Seventh-day Adventist Churchand include the following specific objectives:

1. To provide an association of SDA physicians and other health

professonals throughout the world for purposes of fellowship,

scientific exchange, and mutual encouragement in Christian

service.

2. To foster the training and continuing education of health

professionals throughout the world.

3. To provide an efficient means of giving for mission projects.

4. To promote health evangelism throughout the world.

5. To produce an official journal.

6. To establish a close working relationship with, and to act as a

resource agency to, the General Conference of Seventh-day

Adventists Department of Health Ministries.

7. To provide visiting lectureships at Seventh-day Adventist and other

selected medical institutions.

These amended AIMS Objectives were voted and approvedat the annual board meeting, Tuesday, March 11, 1986.

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