Getting in to gear

Our volunteer team have each been assigned to their working rosters for our two weeks here- we have the AM and PM staff rotating alongside the Nepalese staff.

As a ‘newbie’ on the team I have been fortunate enough to be able to observe at my leisure all the different aspects of the teams work here including the ongoing assessments, operating theatre and ward rounds. Each volunteer is in their zone as they work, teach local staff and treat patients. I observe for nearly an hour as Dr Judy Lynch, an anaesthetist, as she teaches three keen Nepalese nursing students the process of conducting a lumbar puncture. The three Nepalese nurses listen intently and ask clarifying questions which Dr Judy patiently and clearly answers.

Next I join three of the theatre team – Judy White, Louella Cooper and Kathy Stayt who have been busy working. In the ward Chris Cain who is a Clinical Midwifery Specialist is teaching a group of Nepalese nursing students about the transfer of care from the operating theatre/recovery into the ward. Monday morphs into Sunday as the team starts to hit top gear – so far another 30+ assessments have been conducted and 10 surgeries completed.

This morning some of the Nepalese students teach basic health care and post-surgery care to some of the women waiting in line for their assessments. Their simple and effective education resources are hand drawn images on A3 sheets of paper. The women nod and listen as they are taught whilst the men hang about in the background no doubt taking it all in too!