Blog #4

This week has been a great learning experience. The nurses in the hospital spend as much time as possible with the patients however do not have a lot to time to give individual attention. Each nurse as an average of 20-30 patients per shift. The nurses go out of their way to give a smile and try to lift the patients spirit. For the nurses role they try to take care of the patient as a whole and attend to mental needs as well. The nurses are understanding that the patients feeling of discomfort. In addition the nurses did a great job of explaining what they would be doing and why.

From a cultural perspective it was interesting to speak with a female that was hospitalized for the first time.  She stated that she had never been in such a tall building. While there, she made friends with the other females in the room.  She stated that the other women were explaining how things work in the hospital and how often the nurses would be making their rounds.


I found that the nurses in Panama are much nicer than the nurses in the USA. They are more approachable, willing to explain, and take pride in their appearance. The nurses explained that they are expected to iron their uniform everyday, wear make-up, wear nursing shoes, and their hair must be up in a neat bun.  Overall it was a great experience and I look forward to working with them again on Thursday!