Week Two: From Swimtrucks to Scrubs
- Bensey Pierre-Louis
- Jul 17, 2018
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 3, 2018
Busua: Conversations from the Beach
Welcome to Scorpion Hill Lodge! This sign greeted me as I entered the town of Busua for
my first weekend excursion trip in Ghana. Busua, located on the southeastern coast of Ghana, is known by tourists for its beautiful beaches and gigantic waves for surfing. I was a bit skeptical to go on the trip because of Busua’s distance from Cape Coast; however, my skepticism vanished at the sight of the beach. From the moment I saw the waves and the hostel, I fell in love with the area.
The beach was breath-taking. There was cool mist from the water covering the shore. The waves advanced and retreated against the pale sand. Local children could be seen playing soccer and swimming in the water. I felt at peace. It was a sight to be seen. At
night the lodge was filled with a group of tourists from various countries in Europe and a few locals. Some could be seen engaging in conversations; others playing card games. I did both and did not regret it. The food serving sizes during the evening was massive and filled me up. I enjoyed every minute of my trip to Busua. Two thing I learned from Busua is to be open-minded when traveling and take every opportunity to connect with others. I will definitely come back to Busua when I come back to Ghana in the near future.
Inside Cape Coast Teaching Hospital
On Monday, I began my rotations at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital. I was amazed at the structure and the function of the hospital. There is a notion that developing countries, especially in Africa, lack healthcare systems or that they are in severely in need.
This phenomenon may exist in certain areas that lack access to adequate health care services ,however, Ghana is far from that position. The Cape Coast Teaching Hospital is the primary hospital for many people in Cape Coast and serves as the location for clinical preceptorships for nurses, doctors, medical students, and other health professions. It has about 400 beds and serves people from different socioeconomic backgrounds. The hospital has various departments such as
- Pediatrics
- Emergency Medicine
- Dialysis
- Pediatrics
- Public Health and Family Planning
- HIV and TB Clinics
- Physical Therapy
High in Number, Low in Resources
There is a wealth of facilities in the hospital. There is sufficient staff, but the people are many. I arrived at the hospital at 9:00am and the atrium was filled with patients from the surrounding areas. Some came for follow up appointments. Others out of desperation because of their condition. The orientation leader revealed that most people do not seek care initially and wait last minute until their conditions require urgent medical attention to come to the hospital. This is one of the causes for the overflow of people. With the large population, there are few resources to provide quick treatment. For instance, there is one CAT scan and one MRI scan in the hospital. I witnessed these things as I toured the various facilities.
"There is a wealth of facilities in the hospital. There is sufficient staff ,but the people are many."
Clinical Rotation 1: Male Medical Ward
For my second week, I was placed in the male medical ward with the nursing staff. The male medical ward is where males who need further treatment are hospitalized for long amounts of time. The ward is split into acute and chronic sections. The acute portion treats acute versions of diseases such as Malaria and TB. The chronic portion treats patients who require more extensive care. Due to my lack of clinical experience, I only shadowed the nurses. Even though I did not do much, the shadowing was beneficial. I was able to shadow in both sections of the ward. I observed that the nurses began their days by conducting patient examinations and vital signs. At about 11am, the patients were prescribed medication, fed, and bathed. Some of the nurses took certain patients to other departments such as radiology and physical therapy at different parts of the day. The duties of a nurse on a hospital floor in Ghana is not different from the duties of a nurse in the United States.
Highlights within the Hospital
The highlights for the week were attending case discussions hosted by the nursing staff, listening to patients talk about their lives, and observing the rounds of medical residents and nursing practical exams.
Case Management Meetings
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, the head nurse of the ward conducts case management meetings with the nursing staff to discuss the condition of the ward and to analyze certain cases. I had the opportunity to attend a Wednesday session. Due to privacy, I will not discuss the details on the cases however I learned from the meeting that:
Be detail orientated
Leave no gaps in information.
Think critically
I’ve found that these three lessons can be applied to multiple aspects in life. After the meeting, I found the nurses to be more cautious about their actions.
The story of a patient
It was a great feeling being able to listen to patients recount what led them to the hospital to the doctors. It reminded me that every patient who enters the hospital has a story behind their illness and that all they need is healing.
In the shoes of a medical student
During last week, the medical residents made rounds around the ward with their supervising doctor. Each supervising doctor had a set of patients throughout the hospital in each ward and had a group of medical residents. The nurses encouraged me to listen in on the conversations. It was quite insightful hearing how the supervising doctor would ask a question about the patient and the residents would answer and recommend care plans. The nursing students were required to do the same individually during their practical exam; read the patient’s charts and come up with a nursing care plan. Everything in healthcare requires critically thinking and focus. I was glad I had the opportunity to witness critical thinking in a healthcare setting in real life. So far, my first rotation at Cape Coast Teaching Hospital was a success.
Culture, Culture, Culture
During the week, I had the opportunity to immerse myself further into the Ghanaian culture. After my shifts at the hospital, I usually entered into town to purchase food at the market. Two weeks ago, I would not have walked it alone. However, I found myself at peace walking down the hectic marketplace and found everything that I needed.
Interesting meals I had this week were fried fish and Banku (made from maize) and stir-fried rice and veggies. So far, I’ve ridden the taxis alone, traveled on a bus, ate various foods, and learned some fanty (the native language). I’ve been mistaken to be Ghanaian multiple times. I agree. I’m not one by birth but through these experiences I am living the Ghanaian lifestyle.
Unless otherwise noted, all photographs are my own.
Comments