“Hey, it’s 6:45!” exclaims Blake. Great. My first day of work and I’m already up to my usual shenanigans. The night prior it was agreed upon meeting around 7 A.M. T-minus 15 minutes. This was totally possible and absolutely unnecessary. Attempting to remain on my absurd workout regimen of 5k runs and unorthodox bodyweight exercises, I asked Blake if he could wake me up around 5 am in order to have enough time. Right…sleep always prevails and this encounter was no different. Two minutes of extra shuteye became nearly two hours. Not the unit conversion I’d favor at this moment.
6:47 – Cold shower underway. Tepid water never seemed so desirable.
6:50 – Breakfast or “desayuno” consisted of papaya/apple/banana pieces bathing in strawberry yogurt. A couple bread rolls later and my blood sugar is high enough to fight a mother grizzly bear. Roar!
7:05 – Miraculously I’m not late. Actually, no one is here yet.
7:05:27 – About that bear…naptime?
7:10 – We’re off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of…?
Across a nondescript red brick building lays the clinic I was assigned. “Curva de Sun” was written in my orientation packet, yet the sign was missing. Truth is that Rachel (program coordinator) mentioned that although this site has received a sign from Imaginations, they don’t have the resources available to hang it. Outside the clinic seems like a perfect place to nail, but there is also the small dilemma of having a graffiti-plagued wall that has an undertone akin to deathly grey. Seeing the condition of the entrance, I immediately begin planning with the nurse to paint the outside a pale yellow and then be responsible for mounting the donated “Letrero”. Once inside I’m instantly flooded with information and questions alike. Although nursing school has provided me a substantial amount of clinical practice, incorporating Spanish with Peruvian culture and healthcare was a bit daunting and overwhelming. Luckily, I had a great preceptor who took off the edge of some of my first day jitters.
Similar to my pediatric experience, I measured children for height and weight along with head and arm circumference. Nurse Carmen and I also checked for fontanels if appropriate, spinal column abnormalities, performed Ortolani’s maneuver to assess hip subluxation, abdomen palpation, and a general skin scan. Next, we would make sure children were up to date ‘al dia’ with their shots. If they were ‘al dia’ then the family would get a ticket for that child in order to participate in a ‘chocolatada’, which is a local gathering with hot chocolate and a fruitcake-esque dessert. After delicious food the kiddos receive a free gift. Not only does Papa Noel provide gifts, he also provides the staples of a nutritious diet. Besides the physical exam, I also gave a few shots (Hepatitis B and pneumococcal) and witnessed tuberculosis (TB) treatment. Although completely treatable with an aggressive course of nauseating antibiotics, I’m still wary of being near TB patients. Possibly it’s the horrid images flashed in my earlier health classes, or the stigma that seems to underline the whole disease, or even it’s an irrational fear, but I really don’t want contract TB. On the other hand, I’ll definitely sound like a biological champion when mentioning to people “Yeah, I had TB and my body eliminated it. No problem”. My macrophages would make a fortune!
Having an amazing day at my work site, it is rather unfair if I don’t mention the lack of resources and how ingenious these nurses are in order to provide healthcare to a difficult population. One example is how the scarcity cotton balls. Another is having only one container of alcohol in the whole facility that is nearing completion. Perhaps it’s the absence of gloves from the site. Before beginning my work with patients, I asked the nurse where gloves were found. Immediately she frowned, displaying a mixture of suppressed anguish and melancholy. According to her, the government (healthcare politics and structure is part of another entry) does not deem gloves necessary for the care of its populace. What?! If nursing school has taught me one thing, it is that hand washing and gloves are crucial to breaking the transmission cycle of diseases. Clearly I’m learning the incorrect method of providing care. Gloves were always a hassle…It’s tempting to judge a facility and take on the mindset of “You’re doing it wrong”, but one has to keep in mind the social and political conditions these healthcare workers are in. U.S. citizens take for granted that bandage given to hold an alcohol swab, or that disinfected examination bed, or even the privacy bestowed upon them by pull curtains. Yes, these conditions should not be acceptable, but there has to be a distinction between tolerance and working within a structure. We’ll see how this affects my care later down the figurative road.
Some notes before I end this note:
• Pizza Hut service is amazing here. Get a hint U.S.
• Pharmacies here don’t seem really care about prescriptions. Sure, they still ask for one but it’s all a formality. Care for some Schedule I controlled substances, anyone?
• Where can I get some coca tea?
• Today I had world class ceviche along the beachfront with a liter of Inca Kola for less than $1.30
No comments:
Post a Comment