A good day!
Anne and I held a teaching session today! The chief doctor asked us to teach the nurses how to use some nebulizers that the hospital purchased for the wards. Currently there is little treatment available for asthmatic patients, so hopefully having nebulizers will change that. We taught them how to assemble and manage the machines so that they would be able to administer the medications when needed. It was very strange to watch them with these simple nebulizers, machines that many people use at home, as they had a difficult time trying to figure out how to assemble the parts. Something that is so straightforward and easy to understand for us is something that required a 60-minute teaching session for them. But we feel that we have actually done something productive, by giving them knowledge that will hopefully be lasting and will benefit many patients. Of course, we must now go around to the wards and make sure that the machines are being used properly and encourage the nurses. Now we look forward to more teaching sessions covering different topics, and we are excited about the potential there.
Yesterday, we recovered two patients in the operative theatre. The doctor told us that the anesthesia they use during surgery has no analgesic effect, so the patient has no pain relief whatsoever after surgery. Currently, the patients are sent directly back to the wards after surgery, usually before the patient has even awakened. So the nurses on the wards receive the semi-unconscious patient after a major procedure with no pain medication available. Yesterday, with the help of the doctor, we medicated both patients immediately after surgery and ensured that the patient was awake and stable before returning them to the wards. We still have a lot of work to do there, but we are happy so far with the doctor's cooperation with our ideas. Believe it or not, he actually asked me what medicine I wanted to give after surgery, what dosage, and he asked me to write the order for pharmacy to dispense it. I can't imagine doing that at home!
And we also introduced a new drainage device to the doctor that he placed on the patient's surgical wound, which will improve healing and recovery. We taught the nurses how to manage it, and hopefully they will be able to use the drains more often for better patient outcomes.
Yesterday we had a meeting with the director of health for the Kwahu region, Dr. Opare. He would like for us to accompany midwives on preventative health checks in the very remote areas. He mentioned that they travel on motorbikes, but I assume that he would arrange special transportation for us... Also he wants us to visit some of the smaller clinics of the region, and we have brought 94 pounds of medication with us that would be well-used there. He also asked me if I'd like to go with him to his gym for a workout this weekend, but he goes at 5:45 am, way to early for me! But we might climb the mountain here sometime, something he does with some friends fairly often. He seems very interested in our help and wants to accomodate us and help us however he can. Anne and I are looking forward to these excursions, for a change of pace and scenery, and we would love to see other areas of the region. We also feel that we would be of great help with providing vaccinations and other general medical treatment in these settings, similar to the work we do in Honduras.
Thank you all for your prayers and your encouragement, I love knowing that we are supported here. We miss you!
Yesterday, we recovered two patients in the operative theatre. The doctor told us that the anesthesia they use during surgery has no analgesic effect, so the patient has no pain relief whatsoever after surgery. Currently, the patients are sent directly back to the wards after surgery, usually before the patient has even awakened. So the nurses on the wards receive the semi-unconscious patient after a major procedure with no pain medication available. Yesterday, with the help of the doctor, we medicated both patients immediately after surgery and ensured that the patient was awake and stable before returning them to the wards. We still have a lot of work to do there, but we are happy so far with the doctor's cooperation with our ideas. Believe it or not, he actually asked me what medicine I wanted to give after surgery, what dosage, and he asked me to write the order for pharmacy to dispense it. I can't imagine doing that at home!
And we also introduced a new drainage device to the doctor that he placed on the patient's surgical wound, which will improve healing and recovery. We taught the nurses how to manage it, and hopefully they will be able to use the drains more often for better patient outcomes.
Yesterday we had a meeting with the director of health for the Kwahu region, Dr. Opare. He would like for us to accompany midwives on preventative health checks in the very remote areas. He mentioned that they travel on motorbikes, but I assume that he would arrange special transportation for us... Also he wants us to visit some of the smaller clinics of the region, and we have brought 94 pounds of medication with us that would be well-used there. He also asked me if I'd like to go with him to his gym for a workout this weekend, but he goes at 5:45 am, way to early for me! But we might climb the mountain here sometime, something he does with some friends fairly often. He seems very interested in our help and wants to accomodate us and help us however he can. Anne and I are looking forward to these excursions, for a change of pace and scenery, and we would love to see other areas of the region. We also feel that we would be of great help with providing vaccinations and other general medical treatment in these settings, similar to the work we do in Honduras.
Thank you all for your prayers and your encouragement, I love knowing that we are supported here. We miss you!
posted by Sarah @ 8:14 AM
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