The Long Road

Somehow my blog post from yesterday ended up as only pictures after I typed about 500 words or so. Oh well, I guess!

Every trip we tend to visit the same places, but each visit is different. Our trip to the OLC Nursing Program certainly fits this description. We met Michelle Bruns for a tour and discussion, and while their program is doing well-improved NCLEX pass rate; larger graduating class; preparation for accreditation, they have received news that is a major setback. IHS will no longer hire Associates-prepared RN’s. With an IHS hospital across the street from the school, this new edict is unfathomable. Considering that most IHS hospitals are located in very rural areas and experience chronic under-staffing, it would seem that Indian health care has taken another hit through this poor decision that reflects a lack of understanding of the Pine Ridge community. I will be thinking about this for a long time.

A trip to Red Cloud Indian School followed the school, and I enjoyed the peace of the chapel for a few minutes before I returned to the long road to Walmart.

No matter how I change up the trip and my plans, there is no way around this trip to Chadrion, NE. It has become a rite of passage for every group. Can we fit all of the purchased donations in the rental? Yes, of course, we can! This group has the can do spirit that seems to come with being called to make this trip. They have been a pleasure thus far.

The long road is not just about our drive. I know that our week of long drives is nothing compared to what the people of Pine Ridge experience. The long road is also about what I see here. It seems that for every bit of progress (and I do not mean progress from my cultural viewpoint only), that there are steps back, making access to resources, improved financial stability, etc. just out of reach. The situation at the IHS hospital is a prime example of this.