Sunday, August 13, 2006
Evangel Hospital (James)
The hospital was quite an experience! It did not have running water in most locations and flies on the wall (and patients) was not a rare occurrence. Just coming off of my final placement at Trillium Health Centre I was blown away by how blessed we are in Canada. For example, the hospital has one ultrasound machine, one difibrillator, etc., All of these are easy to find and access in any hospital in Canada, but this was not the case in Evangel.
I spent my first week observing the surgical team. I was able to assist in the dressing of a burn victim (50% burns). He had been on the side of the road when a petrol truck exploded. As I was changing the dressing the next day, he passed away. In this case, it was possible he would have passed away if he was in Canadian care, but it was hard to witness other cases where I am sure, should the patient have been able to access the Canadian health system, they would have survived. There just isn’t the supplies that are needed to properly treat many patients.
Another week I was able to follow the medical team. Through this experience I was able to really see how medicine is practiced in Nigeria.
I hope I will remember how blessed I am when I start working as a nurse in Canada this fall.
I spent my first week observing the surgical team. I was able to assist in the dressing of a burn victim (50% burns). He had been on the side of the road when a petrol truck exploded. As I was changing the dressing the next day, he passed away. In this case, it was possible he would have passed away if he was in Canadian care, but it was hard to witness other cases where I am sure, should the patient have been able to access the Canadian health system, they would have survived. There just isn’t the supplies that are needed to properly treat many patients.
Another week I was able to follow the medical team. Through this experience I was able to really see how medicine is practiced in Nigeria.
I hope I will remember how blessed I am when I start working as a nurse in Canada this fall.
# posted by Stephanie @ 4:43 PM 
