August 26th, 2017 by jenniferolmstead

Why is it that being sent to the office always makes us feel as if we are in trouble? Let’s start at the beginning. Breakfast had a special treat for one of my friends from Ireland. The lady of the house, Dr. Ann, was informed that Helen had missed her anniversary yesterday. So, this morning she got up and made scones for her for breakfast. She was so touched I honestly thought she was going to cry. She didn’t speak much, which is not her normal, but Naomi couldn’t say enough wonderful things about them. They were both so surprised and excited. It was such an amazing moment. Then off to the hospital.
I took time to listen to the morning worship and then went to the ward before the devotional. The nurses were happy to see me. Thought what I do is limited I am discovering that they are using me for an extra nurse to cover for lunches and when they need to run errands within the hospital. Today I helped to calculate medication dosages, not easy for either of our brains and so glad we both double checked. I started the morning by reviewing the orientation book that is used for all new nurses, it is in English. Then I went to the NICU for about an hour. It was very sad. It was mostly newborns, however if very young babies are brought in and need more care or oxygen they are admitted to this ward. They do not have enough warmers so they are two to a warmer, and I was told when it gets busy they often have three in each. The baby that most got my attention was about one and a half days old and not expected to live through today. During rounds the nurse informed the doctor that the parents want to take their baby home today, they have been told and yet do not understand that the baby will die. It was born with some genetic defects. Testing is not available here so bot identified, but not much that can be done anyway. There is a surgery that would help, but the baby would not survive the transport or the surgery. Another baby was also not doing well. It was intubated at birth with no respiratory response. It was medicated for seizures which continue till it was almost 1 day old. They seem to have subsided with the continues use of multiple medications. The electric here cycles between batteries, so there are lapses, this means the breathing machine stops and restarts several times a day. The baby is now sometimes taking a breath during these pauses. Once again, the family wants to take their baby home and though they have been explained many times, they do not understand. This baby at least for today will stay, the other will be discharged at family request this afternoon, if till alive. As a policy, they try to get the babied back to their mothers as quickly as possible for the health of both. They had a mother at the door today yelling and slamming doors, I could not understand most but she used English to accuse the nurses and doctors of steeling her baby. I waited till she was gone before I left and went back to the pediatric ward.
Shortly after I got back the nurse in charge received a call for me to go to the nurse’s main, my first thought was I had permission to go in there. I was a little nervous. I got there and found out they were wanting me to help them make these string things I had mentioned and teach the nursing class how to use them. All worked up for nothing. Oh, and while I was there I got to try sticky corn, it’s a type of corn grown here and it is sticky to eat right of the cob. While fun really.
The ward was quite busy today. Only one discharge and a few admits; some transfers as well. I walked in we had five patients, which is unusual to be so low, and left with 13 patients. Had one really scary moment and I had several nurse names running through my head that I wished were there beside me. The nurse gave an IV injection a baby, one we had calculated together, and then problem. The baby had been screaming at everything since it came to the floor. Well it screamed so much while she was pushing the med through the IV line that it choked on its own saliva and wasn’t breathing. You could see the baby trying to cough and breath. The nurse was trying to rub the bay back and keep it upright in an attempt to help it clear. The mother however kept trying to lay the baby down while yelling at her that she had killed her baby with the injection. I think every mom in the ward was at her side and staring at us, I was glad I ran down when I heard the commotion but it was not a fun place to be. The baby was fine just needed a few seconds to calm down and clear its throat. Not fun at all. I was trying to remember my baby CPR and praying please don’t let this baby stop breathing, ok maybe it was more begging. Anyway, God heard and the baby is fine.
As If that wasn’t enough excitement this part was fun though. The tic-tac-toe game I took was up at the nurse desk when I came in this morning. Some of the nurses played with it and were having fun when one offered to buy it for her daughter, I couldn’t let her pay me for it so I told her she could have it. Mistake, all the other nurses got upset as they wanted to play with it as well. So, I ended the day with one really happy nurse, the same one the mom had yelled at, and some disappointed nurses. I have not told them I have a treat for them on Saturday. Hopefully that will make them all feel better.