The antics of a Paediatric Intensive Care nurse in an orphanage

I have always claimed I am a 'Jack of all trades' (mmm, a Master of none?), but I think that may just swing in my favour :)

Task 1: Measuring heights and weights (including head and chest circumferences on the younger ones) on 70 children - a task which is monthly. It actually took me 3 days to accomplish!!!! They were either sleeping, eating, in school, or at the park.....Arghhh! A sigh of relief when it was done! And a month's reprieve.

Task 2: Taking my first patient,Ronnie, to 'Operations Smile' to be assessed for cleft palate/lip repair. He is 6 months old and a mere 4.5 kgs. Remarkably cute! Look at those lil' legs!! 

Trip to the clinic

Trip from the clinic.... it was a long day for little Ronnie!

Task 3: Attending the Charity Clinic at the 'Lung Centre of the Philippines' with my second patient. A little older at 31 years ...orphanage for all, as I mentioned! Weighing in at 29 kgs .... I don't even remember what age I was when I weighed that.... she has TB and arrived with a chest drain in that had been insitu for a year; condom on the end (aka heimlich valve!)...and dressed with a sanitary towel. Creative!!

Many an hour spent at the Lung Centre....learning everything you could wish to know on TB, chest drains and the healthcare system in the Philippines....which I must share!! When one gets treated, one is given a list of supplies used by the nurse/doctor (from medication to gloves and masks......every item), one then goes to the pharmacy and then to the CSSS (equipment room) with the list in order to get invoices , one then takes the invoices to the cashier to get a receipt, one then goes to social services to get a rebate, one then goes back to the cashier to pay, and then returns  to the pharmacy and to CSSS to get the items which then one takes back to the nurse. Easy as...

'Only in the Philippines!' I am still at the fascinated stage....watch this space! :)

Task 4: Unpacking clothes for an 'open day' that we advertised to the missionaries in the area. 

Eight hours in the balmy heat of Gentle Hands :)unpacking donated 'adult' clothes in order to donate back to adults!!! 

So, armed with coffee....lots of coffee .... we unpacked .... oh, say 80 boxes .... and sorted and sized in readiness for the crowds! 

The small handful of people came and went, barely making a dent in the piles of clothes but leaving with handfuls of homemade cinnamon rolls from our very own bakery!





Task 5: A little painting on the side... and why not??

Task 6: Developing a Palliative Care manual, policies, guidelines, charts, admission forms....and all the other documentation required of running a medical facility. Gulp!!  

Jack of all Trades.....

:) xx