Healing the world's forgotten children: an international nursing experience

An increasing number of nurses are volunteering to participate in overseas missions. The focus of many of these missions is to perform plastic and reconstructive surgery on children. Nursing practice within the health care system of a third-world country is both exciting and challenging. Since 1978, Operation Rainbow has given nurses the opportunity to experience perioperative nursing in international settings. Although filled with many hardships, international nursing can be a very rewarding experience.