"Bring Your Own _______" pictures from the hospital

I took my camera to the hospital today. Unfortunately, because of confidentiality reasons I can't currently post pictures of patients. However, I took some pictures of the empty hospital beds and some of the nurses and doctors I have been working with this week. You may be wondering why the ward looks mostly empty in these pictures - as there is never enough room in the hospital and an overflow of patients, etc. The way the emergency ward works is that patients come in for a maximum of 24 hours. They examined and a history is taken so that tentative diagnosis and treatment plan can be produced. Then the patients are either discharged (sent home with the hope they will get better) or they are transferred to a department in the hospital. (The last very sad option is that the patient dies in the emergency ward which seems to happen at least once a day). That way the emergency ward clears out once a day and is cleaned up and all of the beds are wiped down. It was during this cleaning period is when I took the pictures below.


This is me with the head nurse. She is pretty nice once you get to know her, but radiates a sort-of "stern' aura. She works really hard everyday and is very concerned for her patients. She also helps instruct a stream of nursing students (who wear blue dresses instead of white) who are continuously flowing into the ward.

Here are some of the interns I have been working with this week (several others unfortunately aren't in the picture). The night intern is sitting at the desk filling out discharge and transfer papers. There was a death certificate to fill out, but apparently the senior consulting doctor has to fill it out.

This is a small section of what the emergency wards. There are a number of rows of beds similar to this. When the beds get full sometimes they just put a mattress or mat on the ground. The hospital is definitely an example of "Bring your own ________." Patients need to bring their own sheets, bedding, clothes, food, personal care attendant (family member or friend), etc. The personal attendant does basic nursing care for the patient, feeds the patient, etc. The personal attendant in turn needs to bring bedding to sleep on the floor next to the patient's bed and enough food and clothes for several days. There is water outside to do laundry for the patient if the clothes or bedding get soiled. There is also a place to cook outside so the people staying with the patient can eat and bring food for the patient.

The personal attendant also has to be prepared to take the patient for tests (X-ray, blood draws, etc) which must be paid for in cash (although I don't think they are the full price that you would have to pay in the States if you didn't have insurance - I think it is about $90 for an X-ray). Any medicines that the emergency ward doesn't have, must also be purchased at the pharmacy.

Here I am sitting in front of the desk of honor with one of the intern doctors.

Here is another nurse who is whiping down the beads with a bleach/soap solution. She is also really nice and helpful.

Anyway, now you all have a little more of a visual image of what my life is like here in the hospital. Now it is off to Kumi for 4-6 weeks!