HOSPITAL
EXPERIENCE
St. George's General male surgical unit
not your average stay
On the Male Medical/Surgical unit, patients are greeted by a, by our standards, million dollar view of the Caribbean Sea. The shutters remain open and the sound of rolling waves crashing against the shore makes for curative background music in an otherwise quiet atmosphere. Patient's did not have TVs and many were not using smart phones. Nurses were not rushed or stressed. The rolling waves served as perfect symbolism for the relaxed nature of an otherwise precarious unit. This beautiful backdrop coupled by the smell of bleach (the cleaning agent they use) and sound of creaky fans (in place of central air conditioning) are my foremost sensory perceptions of the hospital. In the United States, patient's expect air conditioning, call buttons, monitors, and televisions, all of which would be considered fine luxuries to the population of St. George's Gen. Coming back to Florida, I am so grateful for the technology and resources we have to provide the best patient care standard possible; however, this view, at the Grenadian patient's bedside, would make for a nice work environment.
what matters most
During my time at St. George's I was able to assess patients and perform vital signs, provide assistance in wound care, and learn valuable lessons about time management from a nurse who cares for 14 patients by herself.
We may have many systemic and procedural differences between our hospitals; however, compassionate, patient-centered care is at the middle of all of our efforts... and that is undoubtedly what matters most.
cabinet chaos
organizational systems are the key functional components within hospitals worldwide. How we organize, depending on our resources, changes the actual process of patient care but does it change quality of patient care? The organization system at St. George's was very different than what American nurses are used to. To the right is a picture I was able to take of the medication cabinet at the nurses station. In a locked box, not featured, are more "serious" medications, according to one of the nurses, such as morphine. Med administration is documented using paper and pen in a patient log book kept at the nurse's desk... not on rolling computer desks or alcoves as in the US. Nurses are still required to check certain medications, like insulin, with another RN as is the policy in the US. At first, I felt intimidated by this units organizational system because of how different it is from the Omnicell/Pyxis medication system; however, I quickly learned that nurses who are comfortable with this system provide excellent/accurate medication administration.
FUN FACT:
Prescribers only order medications to be administered once or twice a day which decreases nursing workload
