During the sail to Madagascar, I have been attending Hospital Orientation.
Okay, so "Hospital Orientation" sounds boring, right?
Well, sometimes it is. There are a lot of details to cover in lecture.
But there is some interesting information too. There are numerous programs in place that do not often get highlighted in the media yet are vital to the work that we do.
For those who have seen videos or pictures of Screening Day, you know that thousands of people come to us for help. Unfortunately, we are not able to help many of them for a variety of reasons. For some, we cannot help because there are some types of surgery we are unable to do; we do not have a specialist and/or the equipment. Other times, tumors may be inoperable or malignant (cancerous). We are unable to treat cancer. So, for some, our inability to help means they will die soon. However, our goal is to bring hope and healing to the world's poor. When healing is not possible, we offer hope.
We have a wonderful Palliative Care Team, though, that works with terminal patients. At the initial screening, when it is determined we are unable to help a person, chaplaincy will meet with the patient and their family. If it is determined that the patient is terminal, then the Palliative Care Team also meets with the patients to determine how they can assist the patient. The nurses make house calls, visiting patients weekly (at least). The nurses educate families on medication and patient care (like bathing, feeding, etc.) and also offer spiritual support. We teach the patient that though they may not be able to work, or to obviously contribute to the family, they still matter. You are important and worth knowing.
I find it comforting to know that we simply do not forget a patient if their illness is deemed untreatable. I have learned a lot about this organization in the last few months, and I am pleased to know that we have chosen a compassionate organization dedicated to serving. Mercy Ships follows the 2,000-year-old model of Jesus. We try to model Jesus not sell Him. We strive to help as many as possible in a variety of ways.
Next, of particular interest to me, is the Infant Feeding Program. The title is self explanatory. Again, with this program, there is a lot of education involved. Infants with cleft lips are evaluated for the ability to breastfeed, though it is not always possible. We encourage feeding with breast milk whenever possible. Infants with cleft palates are assessed for surgery; if an infant is malnourished then surgery is postponed. We have several options for fattening up an infant, depending on age. We have everything from formula for newborns to Mana (which is a high-caloric peanut butter) for those eating solid foods. We like the babies fat before going into surgery. Because some infants are severely malnourished and underweight, daily checks are required. If that is deemed necessary, we provide the financial means to transport the baby and caregiver to and from the hospital daily.
Another program that I find interesting is the Local Nurse Education program. In Congo, 12 local nurses were mentored. They had some classroom days and some days when they shadowed nurses onboard. Many skills that first world countries consider essential are completely missing in West African nurse training. For instance, the 12 local nurses did not know CPR. Nor did they know Neonatal Resuscitation. The standards of care are vastly different as well. Medication errors are more commonplace as nurses do not label medication after removing it from the package or drawing it up in a syringe.
Surveys filled out by the participants determined the followed:
1. Nurses experienced an average of 95 hours of mentoring with a total of over 1,300 hours volunteered by Mercy Ship RNs
2. Nurses learned at least four new skills
3. Nurses were able to go back to their individual hospitals and train others
4. Less neonatal deaths in those units where we taught Neonatal Resuscitation (as reported by local nurses)
5. Fewer medication errors made (again, as reported by local nurses)
The nurses were doing the best that they could given the resources and training they had, but Mercy Ships came along side of them to supplement their education and training. We do not know if we will be able to do the same type of program in Madagascar. We are still working on details. Another option is partnering with an entire ward; a specialty that matches one we have onboard such as the Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) unit. We would work with the entire unit, from anesthesiologists to surgeons to nurses, to help train entire units.
Of course, we also invite local surgeons to work onboard. We teach surgical methods so that we can leave the country better off than when we arrived. While the surgery we perform can be seen as a charity, a hand out, Mercy Ships strives to give a hand up to the local people.
Apart from the hospital, there are some other ministries such as the agricultural program and Mercy Ministries. In the agriculture program, our agriculturist/nutritionist teaches a select group of local workers the best methods for farming in a particular soil and climate. The last class consisted of more than twenty men. I am reminded of a saying - Give a man to fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Through Mercy Ministries, Mercy Ships partners with local charities, often times orphanages. We offer support in a variety of ways, including sponsoring short term mission teams to assist the charity.
Okay, so these are some of the lesser known programs that are truly important to showing God's love.
Another program that I find interesting is the Local Nurse Education program. In Congo, 12 local nurses were mentored. They had some classroom days and some days when they shadowed nurses onboard. Many skills that first world countries consider essential are completely missing in West African nurse training. For instance, the 12 local nurses did not know CPR. Nor did they know Neonatal Resuscitation. The standards of care are vastly different as well. Medication errors are more commonplace as nurses do not label medication after removing it from the package or drawing it up in a syringe.
Surveys filled out by the participants determined the followed:
1. Nurses experienced an average of 95 hours of mentoring with a total of over 1,300 hours volunteered by Mercy Ship RNs
2. Nurses learned at least four new skills
3. Nurses were able to go back to their individual hospitals and train others
4. Less neonatal deaths in those units where we taught Neonatal Resuscitation (as reported by local nurses)
5. Fewer medication errors made (again, as reported by local nurses)
The nurses were doing the best that they could given the resources and training they had, but Mercy Ships came along side of them to supplement their education and training. We do not know if we will be able to do the same type of program in Madagascar. We are still working on details. Another option is partnering with an entire ward; a specialty that matches one we have onboard such as the Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) unit. We would work with the entire unit, from anesthesiologists to surgeons to nurses, to help train entire units.
Of course, we also invite local surgeons to work onboard. We teach surgical methods so that we can leave the country better off than when we arrived. While the surgery we perform can be seen as a charity, a hand out, Mercy Ships strives to give a hand up to the local people.
Apart from the hospital, there are some other ministries such as the agricultural program and Mercy Ministries. In the agriculture program, our agriculturist/nutritionist teaches a select group of local workers the best methods for farming in a particular soil and climate. The last class consisted of more than twenty men. I am reminded of a saying - Give a man to fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Through Mercy Ministries, Mercy Ships partners with local charities, often times orphanages. We offer support in a variety of ways, including sponsoring short term mission teams to assist the charity.
Okay, so these are some of the lesser known programs that are truly important to showing God's love.
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