Welcome to our 2025 Costa Rica blog! A group of Ohio State undergraduate and DNP nursing students are working together to serve communities in San Jose and Quepos Costa Rica. The students will be posting about their experiences and providing a glimpse into our day to day activities. Enjoy!
Posts
Cultural Exchange in Costa Rica
Hello! My name is Nick Cline and I am a Senior in the BSN program here at The Ohio State University. I have had the opportunity to explore the beautiful country of Costa Rica and its healthcare system while closely interacting with communities in a variety of settings. In this post, I am going to talk about our time at the Casa de María Auxiliadora Sor María Romero and San Judas Tadeo University.
Casa de María Auxiliadora Sor María Romero is a unique clinic, operating as a free medical clinic, boarding school, Catholic church, and museum for Sor María Romero, who was the first individual born in Central America to be beatified. She focused on social development which the organization still operates for today. It was a heartwarming and humbling experience to volunteer and work with all of the individuals involved. We worked with the nurse to get initial vitals on patients, sat in on consultations with the physician, and helped sort and organize donated medications. This enabled me to gain more experience in interacting with a diverse patient population while giving back to the community.
At San Judas Tadeo University, we participated in emergency and clinical simulations. The faculty that we worked with were extremely helpful and gave great insight to their experience as healthcare providers. We engaged in discussions comparing protocols in the US and Costa Rica which aided our cultural awareness in the medical setting. We also provided Stop the Bleed training to medical students at the university, which allowed for cross-cultural interactions that were very beneficial to have experienced and further prepared us to work in diverse situations.
There is a wealth of information to take from this cultural exchange in Costa Rica. Environmental sustainability is a significant goal for the country and it has been interesting to see firsthand how they are working towards that through many sources of renewable energy, conservation and reforestation, eco-tourism, and more. Connecting with local communities has not only allowed for the volunteering of time and service, but has also provided insight into different perspectives on privilege, resources, and the importance of social support systems. It has been a one-of-a-kind opportunity to gain this experience, cultural awareness, and cultural humility through our time in Costa Rica!
El Cocal, Quepos Costa Rica
Hi everyone! I am Cade, and I’m a senior in the BSN program. I am spending a week in Costa Rica to learn more about the community and Costa Rican culture. Today we went to the town of El Cocal and visited the primary school. At the school we provided education to kids in kindergarten, 4th grade, and 5th grade. The education included topics about nutrition, safety using social media, drugs and smoking, and exercising. During the education we provided different activities to engage the kids listening and put the education into perspective. To simulate using alcohol they wore goggles covered in plastic wrap blurring their vision and making it hard for them to see. To simulate respiratory distress from smoking we also had the kids cover their nose and breathe from a straw. I really enjoyed interacting with the kids and seeing them engaged in the activities. It was so eye opening seeing the appreciation and excitement they had from us visiting. Additionally, the local doctor was there to provide information related to healthcare and resources available to the community.
After visiting the school we had lunch served to us by the local coordinator, Giovanni. He was welcoming and happy to have us visit the community. He provided insight to struggles faced by members of the community and how the community has improved. Under his supervision, the town has seen a heightened sense of community, increased space for outdoor activities, and more wellness promotion. We also walked around and received a tour of the main road that cuts through the town. Here we were able to see where members of the community live and view the surroundings. This provided a lot of insight to their daily lives and what they have available. One thing that stuck out to me is the strong sense of community in this area between all the citizens.
El Cocal is somewhat isolated from the town of Quepos. We had to take a ferry over a river to reach the community.
Serving those in need
3/11/25
Hello, I’m Anu, a senior in the BSN program and I’m going to share what we did today on day 4 of my global nursing trip to Costa Rica. We started off the day at Chepe Se Baña Service Center. Here, we spent the morning engaged in serving the San José population living in a state of homelessness, migrants, and people living in high poverty. The service center includes mobile stations we were able rotate through.
Stations
I rotated through 3 stations, the first one being where I helped sort belongings and gave people access to the bathrooms. Then, I moved on to the medical clinic, where I was able to take vitals and assist the doctor in recording information regarding the patients as well as the diagnosis, and treatment given. And finally, I helped coordinate showers, providing soap, towels, and other personal care items
Laura and I sorting through belongings
We then had lunch at La Moncha, which is another service project associated with Chepe Se Baña. Here, the owner informed us of the larger mission behind Chepe Se Baña and calls it a “reinsertion program” provides resources to help those who have been or are facing homelessness, back into society. La Moncha specifically offers classes that specialize in art and encourages creativity among its students.
Lunch at La Moncha
Finally, we finished off the other half of the day by cleaning and helping organize a new clinic being built by Chepe Se Baña to further contribute to their mission. During this experience, I really enjoyed the opportunity to serve. It’s very important to be able to address needs in the local community and I’m glad I was able provide support in some way to the health and well-being of these individuals.
Music Room
Connecting with Nature in Costa Rica
Hello! I am Jessica Brunner. A senior in the BSN program at OSU. I am spending a week in Costa Rica learning about health in these communities and would love to share with you more about my experience today at La Fortuna waterfall and hot springs.
Amidst the breathtaking landscapes of Costa Rica’s Arenal Volcano region are bunches of hot springs in La Fortuna. We got to visit these springs today unaware of all the health benefits it provides. The natural healing power of hot springs has been celebrated throughout Costa Rican history. The warm water and natural minerals of the hot springs helps to increase blood circulation and cellular oxygenation. The hot springs can also work toward relaxing muscles and alleviating tension. The serene environment that surrounds hot springs also contributes to relaxation. While we were relaxing in the springs, we saw multiple lizards, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The natural minerals found in hot springs, including sulfur, calcium, and magnesium, are considered to have positive effects on the skin. The minerals can help to nourish the skin, improve its tone and texture, and promote a radiant. My skin felt detoxified and soft from natural perspiration due to the warm temperatures of the water. Another benefit to the tranquil ambiance and soothing water temperatures comes in play a bit later in the day. Relaxation can promote a calmer state of mind, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.
Although cloudy, this is the volcano that provides the hot springs. It is called Volcan Arenal.
Some of the hot springs.
And more hot springs!
Many swim and enjoy the sun by the cold waters under the waterfall.
Hiking down to the falls!
Another amazing experience we had today was a hike to the La Fortuna waterfall. It was so beautiful. I could have hiked miles here. We kept out eyes peeled for sloths, monkeys, lizards, and toucans! The entire area was extremely lush and full of large tropical plants. A sign on the hike talked about how butterflies are indicative of a healthy ecosystem and environment. I saw yellow, blue, white, and orange butterflies throughout the hike. Today I really saw how much Costa Ricans value their land and being outside. From relaxing in a hot spring to playing around in a waterfall to hiking up hills, they can fulfill many types of wellness this way. Perhaps it is what makes them a blue zone:)
Costa Rica really focuses on keeping their environment safe and clean. Likewise, they really value leaving a small carbon footprint by reducing light, trash, and fossil fuel usage. This ties into Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action. Costa Rica has achieved this goal, however, they still suffer from effects of climate change. With more extremes in weather, like extreme heat, dryness, or rain, Costa Rica still has to prepare for the negative effects of global warming.
Coffee is Good for the Soul
Hello I am Kimmara a Senior in the BSN program and I decided to spend my Spring Break learning from the communities in Costa Rica. I am going to talk a little bit about what we did on the first day 🙂
We started our day off at a coffee farm. The owner at the farm, Gabriel talked to us about Costa Rica’s environmental stability efforts and what he is doing to contribute to that. He told us a story about how his father became very ill from pesticides they started using to get rid of the bugs invading their coffee plant. His father is now much better and still working the farm, but only because they chose to stop using chemicals, to plant for the environment and not just coffee plants, and that actually helped to control the pest they were so desperately trying to get rid of. I’ve included below an image of a 32 year old tree that marks the beginning of the farms journey to be sustainable and environmentally friendly. “So as you can see, sustainability is possible in our life time”- Gabriel
Something else important for this part of today is Gabriels’s plead to stop drinking coffee. Gut wrenching I know. He goes on to tell us that when the farm was started it was about maintaining his family and giving people the supply for their demand, but now he wishes people would stop drinking it. His reasonings were that coffee lacks serious and long term health benefits, and that it is a wasteful plant that has many alternatives with better benefits. To grow more coffee trees means to chop down more of the forest that Costa Rica has worked to hard to rebuild.
After being educated on the farm and the work conditions we were allowed to taste some of the coffee and coffee tea. I typically LOVE dark roast coffee, but my favorite was the medium and light roast because I could taste all of the flavors and did not need creamer. I was able buy some to support their business and take home (maybe I’ll stop drinking coffee after this bag). So that being said coffee may not be good for your health, and may not be good for the environment, but it is good for the soul.
Coffee taste test
Cacahueito
32 year old tree
Owner of the Coffee Farm
Costa Rican Addiction Rehab Center and Women’s Hospital Trip!
Hi everyone, my name is Caroline and I’m a senior BSN student who is studying abroad in Costa Rica during spring break. Today, we went to an addiction rehabilitation facility and toured a women’s hospital. At the addiction rehab facility, we first spoke with the director, Jorge, who spoke about the history of the facility, IAFA (the Institute for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse), government funding, and the resources that they offer to clients. One thing that I think really stood out to me was that he mentioned that addiction = exclusion because society treats people suffering from addiction as outcasts that cannot be helped. Jorge’s mentality is the opposite, and his facility provides plenty of resources not just to help them rehabilitate but also to prevent relapse and set them up for success, with a half-way house being an option for residents if they choose.
The garden of the facility
I was able to lead a short yoga session using my Spanish skills, it was super fun!
Next, we went to a women’s hospital and spoke with a obstetrics nurse, Sandy. He gave us a tour of their hospital, which houses all different kinds of specialities relating only to women’s health, including gynecology, labor and delivery, and the top NICU in the country. Hearing about their healthcare system and how it differs from the US’s was fascinating, as well as different resources and programs they provide for women, such as in home visits after delivery to check in on the mom and baby. 
NICU
Human Milk bank from donations. All of the babies in the NICU receive human milk from their mother or a donor
Breast milk is the standard for mothers and formula is rarely ever used.
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