Soooo, about the kiddies I work with. I spend my mornings on the burn unit, helping out with dressing changes. I have learned much more than I ever wanted to about how to treat burns (at least in South Africa) and seen children’s faces marred beyond recognition. The kids are usually so afraid of it hurting that they are in tears before the changing even starts. Most of the nursing staff and even parents frown upon the children crying or showing their pain. This does make my job very difficult, because we generally encourage children to talk about what they are feeling and to tell someone if something hurts. I do my best to keep in good spirits around the children who are in pain and let them know that it is okay to be nervous. I think it is easy for some to brush off children’s pain, especially after working in the burn unit for so long, because it would just break you down to see so many children that way.
The rest of the day, I spend on different wards. I spend some time in oncology, where I currently have 1 patient (the second was able to go home last Friday, yay!!). He is my most difficult patient because he is up and alert but refuses to talk to talk to me. He will nod his head to “yes” and “no” questions and will point to things he needs, but will not speak (he is 8yrs old, so is able to speak). I have a few other patients, some with TB, HIV+, pneumonia, bone cancer or some other disease of which I am not yet aware. A few have all these diseases together.
One of my patients is an older child and I have no idea what her diagnosis is, other than diabetes. Ironically, I am working closest with this patient. At this point, it is less important for me to know what her diagnosis is and more important to get to know her and the procedures she needs. She goes into surgery tomorrow to drain some cysts in her pancreas, I have no idea why they are there, but all I need to know is how the doctor’s are going to remove them. So far, so good. She had to transfer hospitals today, which was extremely stressful for her, so I sat with her and mum in the new room for nearly 2 hours and tried to distract her, answer questions and do a couple art projects.
I’ve been getting in the hang of things at work. At least I know how to get around and who I need to see. My biggest challenge is lack of experience. Sometimes I have no idea what to do with or for a patient and that is a terrible feeling. Also, sometimes I feel like there’s more I should be doing, but I don’t know what it is. I guess that will take some more experience too.
Anyway, for now that’s all I’ve got. Keep you all updated on new experiences J
Love from Cape Town.
Being the kid magnet that you are...I'm quite certain they will sense your empathy and concern even when you can't tell them verbally. (Don't be too hard on the staff for the seeming callousness. Speaking as a burn-trauma nurse, I know the conflicting emotions a nurse feels when the treatment causes so much pain. However, since the risk of avoiding pain in those moments is SO much worse than the dressing change & wound care, it must be done.) Hopefully, children sense the comfort and compassion from all of you. (What kind of protective gear (gloves, gowns, masks) do you have to wear?)
ReplyDeleteAs far as TB...I'm hoping you have to wear a special mask when you're in the room? Just to protect yourself? Sorry...just have to ask.
And don't you worry...your presence speaks far louder than knowing the right thing to say/do (often an illusion anyway.) You are in exactly the right place at the right time for the right children.
Hope the week finishes well!!
The burn unit sounds like an extreme emotional test. I imagine though after working with charred children who are in so much pain, it will bring so much joy watching them heal and the the pain get less and less intense as the healing process continues. Your a gentle one, Christy, so I can only believe that your calming nature eases the children, parents, and possibly even the Dr.s(altho you noted that they seem to be un-fased by this process).
ReplyDeleteI hope your time spent in the hospitals, altho rough, continues to be equally rewarding at the same time.
Love ya!
in burns, i have to wear scrubs over my clothes and then put on new gloves for each child, no other protective gear. It's certainly different than in the US. With the child with TB, he should be on isolation, but he is not, no one wears a mask around the hospital, except in surgery. it's for sure a challenge to medical standards i'm used to. Every time i'm there i feel more useful. :)
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the encouragement! thanks all :)
eek!! be careful with the TB, sis... it's an airborne disease, so you can get it (and it be dormant in your lungs) just by being around it without wearing a proper fitting mask. at the hospital, we're not even allowed to start working until they've put us through "fit mask testing" to make sure we have an airtight mask that fits if we have to take care of a TB patient. the masks HAVE to be work all the time. you can become a carrier of TB and not even know it's there.... and then have it flare months or years later. if you can find a mask, i'd wear one whenever you're in there. TB's not cool. be careful. love you.
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