Clinic life

This week in the clinic has been challenging. There is so much to learn and medicine here is so different than back home. My role back home was a nurse and here my role is more like a physician. I am to assess patients, diagnosis, and treat with the appropriate medications. Completely different and unfamiliar to me. Which makes things a bit stressful!

However, just this week, I was able to do something that was familiar and brought joy to my heart. A very sick woman arrived on a donkey cart aka ambulance. She looked weak, was having difficulty breathing, and was having much pain. After the history and assessment, we (I am still on clinic orientation) diagnosed her with pneumonia. With her being so weak and having a loss of appetite she would need an IV. I was happy to do it, something familiar to me! Then we promptly started her on a bolus of fluids to help with her dehydration. Again something I could do! Next we discussed the appropriate medications for her care. Then I drew up the antibiotics and administered them. Again something I knew how to do!

She stayed in our care for a day or two- getting fluids and IV antibiotics. I am happy to report she is back home and doing well. Recovering from the pneumonia.

Even though most things here in the bush seem so unfamiliar and a bit scary to me. I was relieved to see how some things are the same. Caring for patients is the same. They are simply people in need of medical care. And caring is the heart of nursing to me. Even though back home I have never seen a patient with malaria and here I have seen dozens I am confident that I am here for a purpose. Not only is my purpose to help those who are sick but to show them God's love through my actions.