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Volunteering with HVO for the First Time: Teaching Nurses in Vietnam

Authors: Vanessa Teed, MSN, RN, CEN, CGNC & Kristin Ferguson, DNP, MBA, RN, OCN 

In early October 2024, Vanessa Teed and Kristin Ferguson met for the first time for dinner in Hanoi, Vietnam. 

They had briefly connected over email and WhatsApp in September 2024 after they learned from HVO Program Coordinator Emily Dalton that they would speak at the 4th International Nursing Science Conference of Thai Nguyen National Hospital in Northern Vietnam on October 12, 2024. 

While eating bowls of pho (a type of Vietnamese soup typically made from beef stock, spices, noodles, and thinly sliced beef or chicken), Kristin and Vanessa shared what had interested them in volunteering internationally with HVO. Both were first-time volunteers with HVO but had other experiences working and teaching abroad: Vanessa is an academic nurse educator and global nurse consultant, and Kristin had spoken at several international conferences before, all focused on her specialty area, oncology. Kristin typically did not have the opportunity to spend several weeks volunteering internationally, but she enjoyed speaking at conferences and doing short international volunteer assignments focused on teaching nurses. 

Although both Kristin and Vanessa were from different parts of the US (Vanessa from California and Kristin from Washington, DC) and different nursing specialties (Vanessa with 16 years of emergency and adult acute nursing experience and Kristin working in oncology for 15 years), they both quickly discovered they had a passion for teaching nurses and improving global health efforts. 

On October 12, 2024, Vanessa gave her first international presentation at a conference in Thai Nguyen City, Vietnam. Driven by a calling to humanitarian work, she is deeply passionate about advancing global nursing through education. In 2024, she began pursuing a PhD in nursing with a focus on global nursing education and launched her humanitarian journey with HVO. Leveraging her experience as an academic nurse educator, Vanessa is committed to empowering health care professionals in resource-limited settings through education and mentorship. 

Since Kristin had spoken at a few international conferences, she was not as surprised by the welcome events or some of the speaking challenges. However, she had never volunteered in Vietnam before. Kristin and Vanessa enjoyed spending time in Vietnam and exploring the country’s cultural heritage. They visited a museum showcasing the country’s ethnic minority groups and a local ethnographic museum. They also savored new culinary experiences and enjoyed meeting fellow health care professionals and international volunteer speakers. 

On the day of the conference, Kristin and Vanessa delivered their presentations. Kristin spoke about the role of oncology nurse navigation and later provided an introduction on the topic of breast cancer, which is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide. Vanessa presented on the Glasgow Coma Scale (a neurologic assessment tool co-developed by English neurosurgeon Sir Graham Teasdale) and shared neurological assessment resources from the team led by Sir Graham Teasdale. These materials, available in 44 languages, can be accessed at www.glasgowcomascale.org

A memorable moment for Vanessa was when she sat beside a quiet nurse leader from Japan at a conference. They used Google Translate to speak English and Japanese, which helped them overcome language barriers—leading to more conversations and creating a new global network. 

At the end of the conference, Kristin traveled around northern Vietnam before returning home to Washington, DC. She is now virtually connected with two new areas of Vietnam: Huế and Da Nang. Kristin is currently preparing a virtual presentation on thyroid cancer and wound care. She is part of a group of oncology nurses who present case studies monthly to the two hospitals, aiming to enhance knowledge about specific cancer care topics. She is excited about her ongoing work with HVO in this capacity and hopes to return to Vietnam in person to teach more. 

Following the Thai Nguyen conference, Vanessa extended her time in Vietnam, traveling to Hanoi and Phú Thọ Province. During her stay, she continued to work with HVO, leading a workshop for experienced nurses and presenting at an additional conference. This journey deepened her passion for international work and reinforced her commitment to advancing global nursing education—the focus of her PhD studies. Vanessa looks forward to continuing her humanitarian work in 2025. 

Volunteering with HVO connected Vanessa and Kristin to a country neither had visited before, while reinforcing their commitment to global nursing collaboration. HVO provides a platform for nurse experts and nurse educators to share experiences, enhance education, and collaborate—ultimately improving patient outcomes at both national and local levels worldwide. 

Thank you, Health Volunteers Overseas and our newest colleagues in Vietnam. We look forward to future collaborations! 

Vanessa & Kristin