Adios Panama Blog 3

As I am writing my third blog for this trip, I can’t believe this trip is coming to an end.  We have had a busy week working in the clinics, in the hospitals, and preparing for all our assignments.  I wanted to touch on my hospital experience because it was very different that what I have experienced in the US.

When I first arrived in the hospital, I was stationed in the triage area for women’s health.  Most of the women on this floor were pregnant and I had the opportunity to assess patients with the doctor.  Not only did I learn how to measure the fundal height, but I also learned how to measure my patient’s cervix.  I listened to fetal heart sounds with a Doppler and also had the opportunity to view an ultrasound. 

After working in the triage, I moved to the labor and delivery unit.  I was fortunate enough to watch the birth of a baby for the first time.  The mother that gave her first birth was fifteen years old.  During her delivery, I truly didn’t know what to expect.  At first I couldn’t believe how much blood was coming out.  She tried several times to push, but the head wouldn’t come out.  When she finally delivered the baby, I still couldn’t believe how oval-shaped the baby’s head was.   The nurses did a newborn assessment and made sure the baby was healthy.  I also learned about the placenta and watched the nurses remove it 15 minutes after the baby was born.  I think it’s incredible that nurses in Panama deliver babies.  Watching this birth was an amazing experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.

           

On my second visit to the hospital, I was assigned to a woman’s floor.  I was assigned to work with two Unachi students.  Although I speak a little Spanish, we often communicated through a Spanish-English dictionary application on my iPhone.  I started and IV here and also gave my first my first enema.  I really enjoyed the opportunity to work the Unachi students and their teacher.  The Unachi teacher was very patient with me and made sure I was doing everything correctly.  I really enjoyed my hospital experience and I wish that I was able to spend more time in the hospital, working with the local students.  Community nurses play a very important role in Panama.  Even with limited resources, they are continuing to provide care to those in need.  I hope that I can come back to Panama and work with the indigenous people in the future.