[January 02, 2013]

Surgical Nurse Wins Volunteer Trip to Africa from Instruments of Mercy

A surgical nurse from Lone Tree, Colo., has won an all-expense paid opportunity to volunteer onboard the Africa Mercy, a hospital ship that provides life-changing surgeries for the medically underserved.

Brenna Boespflug, RN, MSN, CNOR, won the scholarship sponsored by�the non-profit organization�Instruments of Mercy.

Boespflug, a staff RN at a Denver surgery center, said the trip will be her first outside the United States and will fulfill a longtime goal.

"Caring for the poor is an essential duty of the medical profession and something I want to pursue and make a permanent part of my career," she said. "I am looking forward to gaining a new perspective on how the world lives and offering my services to those in need," she added. "This is something I would not be able to do without financial assistance."

Mercy Ships�is a global charity whose hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, operates off the coast of West Africa to bring hope and healing to the forgotten poor. The Africa Mercy is anchored off the coast of Conakry, Guinea until June, 2013.

"The Africa Mercy has six fully equipped operating rooms where volunteer surgical teams perform thousands of life-changing procedures," said Toney Peer, Executive Director of Instruments of Mercy. "Instruments of Mercy has been supporting Mercy Ships with instrument repair forseveral years, and this is another way for us to support them while helping a surgical nurse who wants to give back."

With the support of Integrated Medical Systems International, Inc. (IMS), Instruments of Mercy regularly refurbishes surgical instruments onboard the Africa Mercy.

IMS CEO and Founder Gene Robinson said he has seen the positive impact the Mercy Ships experience has on volunteers. "To be able to grant this opportunity to a nurse who wants to serve is an honor," Robinson said. "This work brings a satisfaction unlike any other professional experience."

Angela Fadely, Vice President, Human Resources for Mercy Ships, said Boespflug's nursing skills will be put to good use. "Mercy Ships is so thankful to partner with Instruments of Mercy to give Brenna Boespflug this opportunity of a lifetime.�Her gifts and talents as an Operating Nurse … will bring hope and healing to those in great need," she said.

Boespflug's name was drawn from 39 entries by Sharon A. McNamara, MS, BSN, RN, CNOR. McNamara, a former national president for the Association of periOperative Nurses (AORN), said she has often heard from perioperative nurses that they would like to volunteer their services abroad but could not afford the cost. The scholarship, she said, will help a nurse fulfill this dream. "This trip will also provide Africa Mercy with an experienced perioperative professional who has the knowledge and wisdom to provide safe, quality care for the patients," she said.

About Instruments of Mercy:�With a motto of "Helping those who Heal," Instruments of Mercy, Inc. is a non-profit organization that restores donated surgical instruments already in the hands of healthcare providers for upcoming mission trips. Established in 2004 by Gene Robinson, CEO of IMS, IOM has refurbished equipment for more than 98 missions in 26 countries. For more information, visit�www.instrumentsofmercy.org.

About Integrated Medical Systems International, Inc. (IMS):�IMS is a surgical instrument management and consulting company with facilities in Alabama, Florida, Maryland and Arizona, as well as sales and clinical teams serving more than 2,500 healthcare facilities nationwide. IMS provides instrument and device inventory management; real-time online data and tools to track instruments, tissue and implants; restoration of instruments to manufacturers' performance standards; and on-location clinical personnel to manage sterile processing and interface with the OR. To learn more, visit�www.imsready.com.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130102005080/en/

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