Nursing Students Without Borders.

This visionary student organization was founded at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville in November 1999 by a group of nursing students who desired to share their health care knowledge with populations that have inadequate access to health care resources and education. Because the scope of nursing is multidisciplinary in nature, members include nursing students, doctors, dietitians, and sociologists, as well as faculty and community members. Currently, Nursing Students Without Borders (NSWB) at UVA is working in two settings: the town of San Sebastian, El Salvador, and in migrant farm-worker camps in the Charlottesville area.

NSWB is dedicated to the ideal of health care sustainability through the provision of knowledge and tools to promote the long-term health of the community. The organization promotes health empowerment through education, building networks to access health care resources, and distributing' material donations to underserved communities. A concurrent objective is to expand the perspective of the nursing student by developing leadership skills and cultural awareness, and fostering personal and professional development. The population-based health model adopted by NSWB focuses on primary and secondary levels of prevention, specifically assessment, screening, and community education targeting identified areas of concern.

Surviving an Earthquake Team members plan to make several 9- to 14-day visits to San Sebastian per year for three years. Two trips were made in March and …