Worker Exchanges

Nurses volunteer to participate in short-term missions in developing countries, providing health services or a helping hand in a community. CFNU recognizes our members' interest in participating in these short-term missions and the mutual value that arises from such an exchange. For this reason, CFNU strives to provide nominal support for up to 8 members per year to participate in humanitarian missions abroad.

Apply on-line for overseas missions for 2011 and 2012. Funding will be decided quarterly: March 31st, June 30, September 30 and December 31st. 

Read about some of the experiences of CFNU-sponsored nurses.

Traveling to Ecuador as part of the Canadian Association of Medical Teams Abroad to help poor families has been the most fulfilling time of her career. Pauline Worsfold (UNA).

“I joined a team of 2 doctors, 3 nurses, a pharmacist, a physiotherapist and 3 lay people. The town we stayed at is called Tactic, aprox. 3 hours north of Guatemala City, in the mountains.The people are very poor. The drinking water is polluted and there is no health care in this town. The nearest medical facilities are a 30-minute drive away, which seems close to us, but these people would have to walk there and then they would have to pay for services and they have little money. Impact Ministries has built a clinic and our team was the first health team to use it. As nurses, we did triage, treatment, prescribed drugs for minor problems and assisted the doctors and pharmacist. It was an amazing experience and has made me so appreciative of the health care we have in Canada.” Bonne Jean Connolly (UNA).

“I traveled to Ndola, Zambia, with 14 hockey bags packed with medical supplies, school supplies, toys, clothes and, of course, soccer balls! We constructed buildings for the orphanage, made donations to the Children’s Hospital and the local HIV/AIDS hospice, and two weeks flew by. One day may the Zambian children, now adults, take over the running of their country with fairness, compassion, accountability and love." Susan Milimac (MNU).

"Our mission to Zambia was a great success in that we were able to contribute to the needs of numerous children and their families in Lusaka, the capital city, and outlying areas." Christina Phillips (PEINU).