My Day as a Nurse

My "ah ha" moment of the trip was certainly in the clinic. Since the team knew that I'm studying to be a nurse they kindly arranged for me to follow a doctor at the clinic one morning, and it was amazing. It was so different that a doctor's office in the United States because of illnesses that were seen and the availability of medicine to the patients.

The CCH Clinic

One of the operating rooms

I followed Dr. Calix around, he had his medical training in Cuba and spoke wonderful English (what he didn't know in English he'd explain to me in Spanish!). The way it worked was a patient would come in a sit down at the evaluation table, Dr. Calix would ask what the "story" was and find out all the details. Then moved to the exam table where he would do an evaluation of the systems that were complained of by the patient. From there he could make a diagnosis and would give them a prescription for the free pharmacy downstairs in the clinic.

Here's where things were strikingly different than at home, these prescriptions were for things that we would find every day in a store. The patients would receive prescriptions for Tylenol, Advil, vitamins, and cough medicine. While some would also get prescriptions for antibiotics, these other medicines were often prescribed. And the patients were able to get them all for free because they had all been donated by groups like us!

All the medical supplies (it was really hot)

We saw a variety of patients that morning: a man with malaria and typhoid, a little girl with kwashiorkor (malnutrition), diabetes, hypertension, high fever (105), sore throat, and a pregnant woman. She was eight months pregnant and this was the first time she had been to the doctor, Dr. Calix made sure the baby had moved into a position for delivery and then found it's back and we were able to listen to it's heartbeat. It was amazing!

This was one of those moments when everything just felt right, when it shouldn't have. I was completely out of my element, in a strange country where I am not respected by the people, I don't speak the language or understand their customs and yet I felt at ease. I could see myself being a nurse in a third world country one day. I could see myself serving the Lord and his beloved people in that way!

The Haitian Nursing school!

*Joy of the day: Witnessing the way that Dr. Calix is serving his people with his time and talents.