Due to a road strike that prevented the Tansen nursing student’s return to the campus after their 2 week break, we did not have clinical on Sunday. Instead, we took advantage of the free day and found a nice place to eat. Our return to campus consisted of a strenuous hike up a what felt like a 180 degree hill accompanied by sweat and heavy breathing. We filled the rest of our night with games and prepared for our first day at the hospital!
Goshen students were spread amongst the United Missions Hospital in the areas of medical, surgical, and pediatrics. Additionally, each day two students take a break from the hospital setting and experience the Childrens’ Library — a program offered to children whose parents work long hours leaving the child alone for long periods of time. This provides supervision before and after school and allows the children to have a meal and continue their education. Throughout the first two days in the hospital, each student had their own unique experiences that were discussed in debriefing sessions later that evening. In comparison to United States’ healthcare, it has been easy to point out the differences of care in Nepal. When it is tempting to become frustrated by these differences, we lean on the idea that we can learn from these experiences as well as provide our own insights to the nursing students here in Nepal.
Our Wednesday was spent outside of the hospital. After a thunderstorm that rocked the Himalayas, we ate breakfast and had the opportunity to hear from Manju, a palliative care nurse— the only palliative care nurse in all of Nepal. Following her short talk, we had free time until around 1 o’clock, when we met the second year nursing students in their classroom for lectures by Brenda and Jody. They flexed their physical assessment knowledge, Jody with pediatric and Brenda with adult assessment. After the lectures, we spent a short time looking at the students’ dorms and bonding with them over tea. We enjoyed our day off but are certainly excited to continue the adventure in the hospital tomorrow!
• Johanna and Sydney •
