A Handfull of 'Firsts'

The Buenos Aires crew!

What a whirlwind the past eleven days here in Chiriqui have been! Last week began our clinical rotations in different parts of the reservation. My destination: Buenos Aires. A long one hour and forty-five minute drive weaving through mountain roads ultimately lands us at the Centro de Salud de Buenos Aires, the clinic we have been working throughout the past two weeks. The nurse Adelina speaks only Spanish, but she has been a great teacher! There are two doctors (who speak English!) and several techs. We were introduced to the clinic and staff on Tuesday May 29th. I had the privilege of sitting in on several doctor's consults and assessed a newborn baby girl on my first day.

Kalah and Olivia teaching how to wash hands.

Kelsey teaching how to brush teeth.

Wednesday May 30th was our visit to the elementary school in Buenos Aires. We taught kindergartners and second graders how to properly wash their hands and brush their teeth. Our hand-washing game was a hit-we had the students circle up put 'germs,' also know as flour, on a few of their hands and we then began a round of high-fives, hand-shakes, and spreading the 'germs.' Our poor Spanish singing produced a song for them to sing with us as we all washed our hands. I have noticed more poverty as the days have gone by. The school did not have water the day we came to teach hand-washing, so we had to utilize a basin with stored water as a 'sink.'
It is not within their culture to consistently practice good hygiene. They also don't have the resources (like water every day) to utilize good hygiene habits. The doctors in our clinic have claimed that patients will come in with lacerations and burns, and they stuff the wounds with hair, dirt, grass-anything they see that will stop the bleeding. From a medical standpoint, this makes the debridement process much more painful and their risk of infection much higher. Health education is essential in this community. That's where the community health nurse comes into play. Our coursework is in Community Health Nursing, and the nurse advocates for the health of the entire population, not just the individual.

Preparing my syringe. First vaccine!

Nursing advocacy has come into play with Panama's immunizations. They have a very strict vaccine and immunization practice that they adhere to very well. I had the privilege of giving my first vaccine to the community attorney! I have given many vaccines since, ranging from infants to the elderly. It is interesting comparing the US health system with Panama's health system. In Panama, we walked around the community to administer the influenza vaccine, checking everyone's record card (that they carry on them) and vaccinating anyone who had not had the flu vaccine yet. In the US, we have the choice to receive the vaccine or not-we go to pharmacies that advertise or our primary care physician.

The performers!

Our CON has partnered with UNACHI, a university here in Panama. We had a formal presentation, and a cultural play presented to us. The play was their native dress and dance from different regions-it was wild! At the end, they pulled us from the audience and onto the stage to dance!

Preparing the catheter.

This week the clinic has brought more injections, a machete wound that had to be sutured, more doctor's consults (including assessing a pregnant woman-I could feel the baby's head!), a few blood draws, several breathing treatments, some community assessments, a house visit for two HIV positive people (a mother and daughter), and my first IV! It went very smoothly and was a successful IV. My lovely patient was able to receive her medications for an infected finger.

My tutti-fruiti duro!

Some other firsts include seeing black sand and the Pacific Ocean at Las Olas beach, eating my first fresh mango, and eating my first duro-another frozen treat! I will hopefully have another first this weekend: hiking my first volcano in Boquete! There have been so many new experiences, new cultural perceptions, new views regarding community health nursing.. My heart goes out to the people here and their need for healthcare personnel. 32 nurses for over 154,000 people just doesn't cut it. I look forward to aiding in that need over this next week-I can't believe there are only eight short days left! Bring on the new food, new treats, new place, new lessons, and as many 'firsts' as I can encounter!