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.