9 Best Places to Find Nursing Volunteer Opportunities Abroad

Learn where to find nursing volunteer opportunities abroad—here are countries with great need and excellent nursing volunteer programs. ☆ Medical volunteering opportunities abroad are not only for pre-med students and certified doctors. Nursing students and certified nurses can also join these amazing opportunities. In general, nurses volunteer abroad to shadow local professionals. In third-world countries where resources are scarce and there’s a shortage of hospital staff, nurses may also be able to partake in more hands-on tasks.

Nursing volunteer abroad — Make a difference in the lives of others by participating in nursing volunteer abroad!

In addition to traditional medical volunteer opportunities are opportunities for nurses and nursing students to be involved in health promotion programs. Every nurse knows that the key to improving health care systems includes prevention of common diseases. Whether you’re educating local communities on the importance of vaccinations or teaching young school children Western hygiene techniques, health promotion is an important task for volunteers.

Read on to learn more about how to coordinate your own international nursing volunteer opportunities!

Why participate in nursing volunteer abroad?

First and foremost, nursing volunteer opportunities abroad allow you, as a nurse, to expand your reach. While it is beneficial to help those in your home country, it can be an amazing experience to be able to help those suffering in other places. In addition to helping more people, volunteering abroad allows nurses to gain insight into the health care system of another country. Working in a clinic in another country can also help to create an understanding of another culture. Clinicians who are more culturally aware are able to break down cultural health care barriers that exist in their home country upon their return.

Nurses volunteer abroad for a variety of reasons, but many cite the chance to gain experience in another country yields myriad benefits: learning a new language, experiencing new cultures, and engaging in positive cultural exchange. Volunteers who go abroad can learn different medical techniques as well, which expands their overall skillset. Knowing a second language and being aware of other cultures’ medical techniques will make you a much more successful medical professional, and much more employable.

9 best destinations for nursing volunteer experience abroad

Lucky for you, your skills are in-demand. While yes, it’s true that you can participate in nursing volunteer abroad just about anywhere on the planet, these destinations have the infrastructure and programming available to give aspiring caregivers like YOU a fulfilling, educational, and impactful experience abroad.

1. India

The Indian health care system is unfortunately one of disparities. Inhabitants of major cities have easier access to care than those living in rural areas, and care services are expensive. By volunteering in a rural clinic or hospital, nursing volunteers can help to decrease this inequality. Volunteering in a major city such as Delhi, however, allows volunteers to witness the more cutting-edge and modern side of India’s health care system, but is not helping those with financial barriers.

Pros: Variety of experience, no language barriers
Cons: Sweltering heat, crowded hospitals
Recommended Program: India - Medical and Health Care Internship

2. Vietnam

Tack international nursing volunteer experience in Vietnam on your resume and “wow” future hospital employers. Vietnam’s clinics and hospitals unfortunately lack many necessary resources. Nursing volunteers will learn to make do with the resources that are available, therefore expanding their skillset. The work can be a bit more demanding than nurses are used to, however, due to the large patients-to-physicians ratio.

Pros: Skillset expansion, volunteers will help a large number of patients in a short amount of time
Cons: Limited resources, large patient-to-physician ratio
Recommended program: Vietnam - Medical Placement in Ho Chi Minh

3. South Africa

Communities in South Africa suffer greatly, particularly from HIV/AIDS. Much medical volunteering work focuses on working with groups affected by this disease. Working with groups of people who have an incurable disease can be challenging for those who have no experience in this area, but can also be the most rewarding experience a nurse will ever have.

Pros: Gain insight into the South African healthcare system, no language barriers
Cons: May be emotionally challenging to work with a large population of those who suffer from incurable diseases
Recommended program: Rural Medical & HIV/AIDS Awareness, Zululand

4. Honduras

The majority of citizens in Honduras don’t have access to the health care that they need- health services are only affordable for the upper-class. Over half of the population lives in poverty, and recently the system has begun to collapse. Nursing volunteer opportunities abroad in Honduras involve working with clinics that provide free services (which is extremely rewarding). Knowledge of the Spanish language, however, is generally a requirement.

Pros: Provide health care services to middle and lower-class populations who could otherwise not receive care/ treatment
Cons: Potential language barrier, Level 3 Travel advisory for US citizens
Recommended program: Healthcare and Medical Program in Honduras

5. Costa Rica

Volunteering for a nursing position in Costa Rica allows volunteers to gain insight into the Costa Rican health care system. These opportunities generally require an intermediate level of Spanish. This requirement can deter those without a background in Spanish but can also be an excellent way to enhance one’s language skills. These programs can be especially beneficial for nursing students and nurses from the US, where Spanish is highly valued in the medical field.

Pros: Variety of experience, enhance your Spanish language skills, popular destination
Cons: Potential language barrier
Recommended program: Medical Volunteers Needed—Work in Costa Rica

6. Peru

In Peru, the ratio of clinicians to patients is nearly half of what the World Health Organization recommends—that’s why Peru hangs steady on our list of destinations in need of young travelers seeking international nursing volunteer experience. Nursing and medical volunteers are essential to help fill this gap. As a nursing volunteer in Peru, tasks may vary between providing care and promoting preventative care. Since Peru is a rather large country, however, placements may be far apart from each other and from the major cities, which can be disappointing to the city-loving volunteer.

Pros: Variety of volunteer work tasks, popular travel destination
Cons: Potential language barrier, many clinics are understaffed, placement may be in very rural locations
Recommended program: Volunteer or Intern in a Medical Clinic in Peru

7. Guatemala

Guatemala’s health care system is similar to India’s, in that the poorer communities suffer the most from lack of access to health care services. Many nursing volunteering opportunities are in these rural areas. Like many countries in Central America, an intermediate level of Spanish is required, as the levels of English in these rural areas are much slimmer than that in the big cities. The volunteer work, however, is rewarding and helps to somewhat relieve the overwhelming disproportion of patients to medical staff.

Pros: Break down health care disparities by providing care for those in poorer communities
Cons: Potential language barrier
Recommended program: Volunteer in Healthcare and Medicine in Guatemala

8. Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is facing an economic crisis, and its health care structure is falling with it. The economic crisis has driven down the amount of medical supplies available, and many clinics are now understaffed. Zimbabwe faced a cholera epidemic in 2008 and is one of the African countries facing high rates of HIV/AIDS. These factors make nursing volunteers essential; It may be one of the most rewarding places to volunteer as a nurse. Daily life, however, is not as easy as what Westerners may be used to—there is a critical shortage of cash throughout the entire country.

Pros: Volunteers provide an extra pair of hands, which allows for more patients to receive care
Cons: Limited resources, poorly staffed clinics, may be emotionally challenging to work with a large population of those who suffer from incurable diseases
Recommended program: Zimbabwe - Medical Aid in Antelope Park

9. Sri Lanka

Compared to its neighbors, Sri Lanka’s health care system is flourishing. Adventurers who choose to lend a hand through nursing volunteer opportunities abroad in Sri Lanka have the opportunity to learn a lot, even gain experience in different specialities (from modern medicine techniques to ayurveda techniques), and more. Although it is always beneficial to assist in medical settings, some volunteers may prefer an experience in a country where there are more gaps to be filled.

Pros: Gain experience with different specialties, prime travel destination
Cons: Country is still recovering from a recent civil war
Recommended program: Sri Lanka - Medical, Nursing and Dentistry Program

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You’re ready to join other nurses as a volunteer abroad!

From learning Ayurveda techniques in Sri Lanka to supporting communities that have been affected by HIV in South Africa, nursing volunteer opportunities abroad are abundant and diverse. There are many ways in which nurses and nursing students can use both their nursing skills and their passion to help improve health care services in different parts of the world. Nursing volunteers are able to provide help and manpower to local clinics and hospitals, while learning about another culture and how they can respect it even after returning to their home country.

There are challenges that come with these programs, such as needing to have a certain level of Spanish in most Latin American countries or having to have the mental ability to work in rough conditions in third-world countries. The ability to be able to help communities in need however, is more than worth it. The experiences gained from a volunteering opportunity abroad will surely make you into an even better nurse than you thought you could possibly be!