Education Programs For Staff & The Community

Education for Staff

CME Credits for Guatemalan Medical Personnel
Guatemalan medical personnel receive regular training from government educators on updates in immunization and other important topics
CPR Training
Tacoma Washington paramedics provide training in CPR for staff

and local rescue company members.
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Dr. Esther Han began a project in 2018 “Bringing Minimally Invasive Surgery to Rural Guatemala,” a collaboration between Hospitalito Atitlán and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
Nursing Education
The hospital nursing coordinator and volunteer nurse educators build the capacity of our nursing staff through presentations at staff meetings.
Biomedical Waste Handling Training
The staff receives training on the management of biomedical hazardous waste, housekeeping, and firefighting.
Traditional Midwife Training
Beginning in 2005, the hospital became involved in monthly training of 34 local traditional midwives as required by the government health department. HA brings in specialists to lead trainings including obstetricians, neonatal resuscitation specialists, professional midwives, nutritionists, and others.

Diabetes Training for Healthcare Workers
This six-year project, funded by the World Diabetes Fund, is training local healthcare workers in the prevention and management of Type II diabetes. It has also strengthened 22 clinics throughout the department of Sololá to provide regular blood sugar monitoring for local residents with the disease.

Lectures by Scholarship Recipients
Our scholarship recipients are required to present talks to staff on current medical trends in Guatemala and other topics of importance.

Medical Student Presentations
Each morning, staff meets to discuss patient issues. The session includes a short lecture by a fourth year medical student on the topic of his/her choice.

Nursing Student Practicum
During a month-long volunteer stint, nursing students work side-by-side with staff nurses and physicians to get practical hands-on experience.

Education for Patients and the Community

Dental Hygiene Videos
Spanish language videos on dental hygiene for children and adults are screened in the hospital waiting room.

Inhaler Education Video
The University of Pennsylvania has created a Tz’utujil language video instructing patients with respiratory disease on how to use a steroid inhaler

Maternal/Infant Health Classes
The hospital offers monthly classes for mothers participating in its Maternal Infant Sponsorship program.

One-on-one Health Education
Hospital doctors take time during consultations to help patients understand and manage their illnesses.