Trip Highlights
- Intern at a hospital in Galle and get practical exposure
- Opportunity to shadow and observe in different departments in a hospital setting
- Opportunity to meet and interact with medical professionals/students from all over the globe
- Acquire significant exposure that’ll help in long term nursing career plans
- Explore Sri Lanka on weekends and travel around with other participants
Overview
Overview
The Nursing Internship in Sri Lanka caters to interns who are currently enrolled in, or have recently completed, a nursing degree from a recognized university in their home country. A prior background and/or experience in the nursing field is mandatory to participate in this internship.
Nursing interns have the option to rotate between a range of wards and units at the public hospital as per their interest. They also get to understand how the nursing system of a developing country like Sri Lanka works and learn first-hand from local doctors and nurses, as well as contribute to the day-to-day running of the facilities.
Sri Lanka is the only country in South Asia that offers free healthcare to all its citizens, which is remarkable for the region. As such, the public sector here is vast and constitutes the vast majority of the medical system.
Nursing Interns have access to a larger and wider network of professionals, a volume of patients, and exposure to a comprehensive set of wards and special units. There is also a greater need for participants to assist in the public sector as the sheer volume of patients they get is overwhelming and from lower socio-economic classes.
Program Requirements
Program Requirements
- Current CV or Resume
- Motivation statement or intent letter describing personal background and rationale forpursuing this internship
- University reference letter
- Police background check
- Copy of passport
Additionally, participants must understand the special circumstances when working in a country like Sri Lanka where the medical standards differs greatly from what they might have experienced in their home country. They should be open-minded, respectful to the local staff and eager to learn.
Intern Roles & Responsibilities
Intern Roles & Responsibilities
- Maternity Care – possibility to work in all 3 wards that makeup the maternity care division as follows: Antenatal ward (typical activities include recording and monitoring of cardiotocography (CTG), checking vitals of pregnant mothers, routine monitoring of fetal movements and growth, performing urine ward test, etc.)
- Labour Room (typical tasks include assisting normal vaginal deliveries, assisting episiotomy and suturing of episiotomy, assisting the newborn care of the neonates, etc.)
- Obstetrics Theatre (assisting/observing c-sections)
- Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) – tasks include bed side teaching regarding emergency management, assisting the nursing staff during emergency managements, etc.
- Surgical Ward / Surgical Casualty Ward - observation of live surgeries, preparing patient beds, assisting with wound dressing, giving bed baths to the bed ridden patients, etc.
- Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation Centre - supporting patients to carry out their dailyphysiotherapy and occupational therapy exercises, carrying out group activities tosupport the patient's mental well-being and other similar activities.
- Ayurvedic Medicine – introduction to the traditional eastern medical practice ofAyurveda. One complementary day of introduction to this practice is included for allnursing program participants. Option to do a full week as well.
- Paediatric Rehabilitation – working and socialising with children who have sufferedmajor illnesses/injuries or have disabilities.
Intern Work Schedule
Intern Work Schedule
On arrival, a detailed orientation & training program is provided, including health and safety training, culture training and an area orientation tour around Galle. Our project coordinator provides project-specific training, which includes an overview of the Sri Lankan medical industry, common practices, customs, code of conduct, rules, etc. The coordinator also monitors day-to-day development of the participants and reviews and assigns project task sheets to each participant based on their experience level. Local transportation to and from the project is included every day, except when after hour work is done at the choice of the intern. Every activity, be it project-related or operational, is managed, guided and supported by our experienced local team.
From Monday to Friday, interns work for 4-7 hours per day (flexible).
Living
Living
At Volunteering Solutions we ensure that all our international volunteers are provided the utmost comfort so that they can have a home away from home experience while working with us. We ensure that your stay, meals and other personal requirements are looked after well.
Airport Transfers
Volunteers are picked up from the Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport Airport by a representative of the local coordinating team on the program start date during scheduled airport pickup hrs. Participants are also dropped off to the airport upon completion of the program during the scheduled airport drop hrs.
Note : Airport Transfers are provided at extra charges of USD $37 each way for a shared transfer during scheduled pickup hours on Saturday.There will be 2 shared airport transfers every Saturday (Morning and afternoon/evening) from airport to Galle and vice versa for return departures. A private transfer will cost USD 100.
Accommodation
Volunteers joining the programs in Galle, Sri Lanka, will get to stay in the quaint Unawatuna neighborhood, overlooking the famous Unawatuna Beach and the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. Our participants stay in two volunteer houses which are located near to each other.
The Beachside house is located right across the road from Unawatuna Beach and about 100 metres from the other volunteer house. It has 12 spacious bedrooms of varying sizes with attached en suite bathrooms each with air-conditioning facilities (most rooms also have attached outdoor balconies). There is also a separate dining area, small garden, lounge, terrace and a large office with permanent staff onsite. The property is safeguarded by multiple CCTV cameras and an onsite night security team.
The other larger volunteer house has 13 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms.Most of these rooms have ocean views! There's a private 40-foot outdoor swimming pool surrounded by tropical greenery. The house also has 3 kitchens as well as 3 living/common rooms (one each per floor), a prominent dining area, and a private outdoor garden with seating/lounging areas.
The office is located on the ground floor of the house near the main entrance – this is where the local team operate from every day. The house is located in a peaceful, nature-filled neighborhood adjacent to a small Buddhist temple (nestled away from the main tourist areas). To ensure the safety and security of the participants, there are CCTV cameras installed, and an in-house security guard for night-time surveillance. Hot water and high-speed Wi-Fi are there and you can opt for air-conditioning and laundry facilities at an additional charge.
Private (single and double) room upgrades are available at additional charges. During busy months participants are also also provided accommodation in nearby guesthouses in case of low capacity in the volunteer houses or non availability of private rooms.
Orientation
A detailed program Orientation will be provided before you start your volunteering program.All volunteers on arrival get a welcome presentation including health and safety training, culture presentation, project specific presentation and area orientation tour. Our staff will also assist you with the lessons and planning the curriculum, as and when required. You will also have access to our in-house teaching library consisting of manuals, books, and various teaching materials to help with lesson planning and providing general guidance.
Meals
We provide 3 freshly cooked meals per day all week long (Monday to Sunday): Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Fresh ingredients are purchased from local markets to prepare these meals. We have two lady chefs (a head chef and an assistant) from our community who come daily to cook fresh, homely and tasty local meals for the volunteers. We can cater to a range of special diets including vegan, gluten free, nut free and lactose-intolerant diets. If there are any other allergy or food requirements mentioned to us beforehand, we always do our best to accommodate those needs.
During Free Time
There is plenty to do during the freetime and weekends for the volunteers.The following activities are provided free of charge and included in your program fee:
- Evening Rooftop Yoga Session (weekly)
- Movie nights on large screen projector at the house (weekly)
- Bike tour across paddy fields and local villages (monthly)
- BBQ for volunteers and staff in the garden (monthly)
- Night Fishing for anyone into fishing (on demand)
The following are popular weekend (or even daily) activities which our volunteers love to do around the area (at an additional charge):
- Surfing lessons
- Elephant safari
- Whale watching (during season)
- Rainforest hiking
- Beach hopping
- Local cooking class
- Galle Walking Tour
- Local spice market visit
- Galle Fort visit
Dates
Dates
2024
2025
January
06
13
20
27
February
03
10
17
24
March
02
09
16
23
30
April
06
13
20
27
May
04
11
18
25
June
01
08
15
22
29
July
06
13
20
27
August
03
10
17
24
31
September
07
14
21
28
October
05
12
19
26
November
02
09
16
23
30
December
07
14
21
28
January
04
11
18
25
February
01
08
15
22
March
01
08
15
22
29
April
05
12
19
26
May
03
10
17
24
31
June
07
14
21
28
July
05
12
19
26
August
02
09
16
23
30
September
06
13
20
27
October
04
11
18
25
November
01
08
15
22
29
December
06
13
20
27
Past Date
Available
Unavailable
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Costs
Costs
Please Note: -An application fee of £179 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment.
What are you Paying for?
- 24 hrs Assistance and support from Staff
- Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information
- Airport Transfers on Scheduled Days
- Dedicated volunteer housing with WiFi (shared rooms)
- Orientation and training on arrival
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner all days
- Guaranteed project placement
- Local transportation to projects in private AC van or tuk-tuk
- Experienced bilingual operations team on the ground
- Dedicated staff support from 6 am to 8 pm every day
- 24/7 local emergency support
- Weekly yoga class on a rooftop terrace
- Weekly movie nights on large screen projector
- Monthly bike tour around paddy fields and local villages
- Monthly special BBQ dinner
- Travel & Medical Insurance (Available at an extra cost)
- Certificate Of Completion (Upon Request)
What's NOT included?
- Visa Fee
- Scheduled Airport Transfer Charges
- International Airfare
- Vaccinations
- Any personal expenses
- Additional Local Excursions and Trips
Reviews
Reviews
Frequently asked questions
FAQ's Application and Program Details
Flights and Visa
Health and Safety
Accommodation and Living
Connect with Past Volunteers
More projects in Sri Lanka
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