Ethics and benefits of family participation in global surgery: a review of the One World Surgery experience

Abstract

Short-term experiences in global health (STEGHs) provide the opportunity to improve individual patient care and build systemic capacity in under-resourced communities. While most STEGHs are conducted by teams of clinical practitioners and/or trainees, there are some organizations in which nonclinical family members of medical/surgical volunteers participate. One World Surgery is an example of an organization that encourages family member participation in its short-term volunteer trips to Honduras. Through careful pretrip orientation, on-site supervision, and consistent educational programs, One World Surgery has developed a program which promotes safe and effective participation of family members. A recent survey of preprofessional volunteers confirmed that participants felt appropriately supervised and well prepared for their STEGH duties; as a testament to their experience, 100% of these volunteers indicated they would like to return for another One World Surgery experience. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the benefits of family member participation in STEGHs and share the experience of one organization in which family member participation has been developed to provide ethical, beneficial, and sustainable care.