Health Care – Our Tropical Living

Failed management…the ugly truth

Management expects you to be like a dead fish in a river and go along with the flow.

Globally, nurses face discrimination and victimization in the workplace.

In Saint Lucia, nurses encounter injustice daily and are called “insubordinate” if they do not comply with management. These “insubordinate nurses” are targeted and blacklisted.

There are many issues plaguing nurses in Saint Lucia.

Nurses remain silent and nothing is being done to alleviate the issues due to poor representation and lack of respect from the relevant bodies.

Nurse managers

A manager is supposed to be someone you could report issues to without fear or backlash and with hopes of anonymity and confidentiality.

Imagine being unable to openly speak to your manager because you know the outcome.

The manager will go back to report the exact thing you said to the exact person you made the complaint against.

Backward mentality

Managers make way for their friends with or without the qualifications, experience and years of service.

Basically, the nurses who support management become managers or positions are created to place them.

Nursing has not evolved in Saint Lucia because of the same culture and mindset.

One set of nurses run the show and are stuck in the same “long time ago mentality and era.”

Management feels like whatever happened to them in the past should continue and happen to the oncoming nurses.

No one tries to be different. Surprisingly, the one who is different or at least attempts to be, is not liked.

Rivals and division

Managers are against managers, managers are against nurses, nurses are against managers and nurses are against nurses.

Nurses carry tales on each other and there is a “never-ending reporting.”

No disciplinary action is taken if a nurse report one of the manager’s favorite nurses.

If the manager likes you then you might be defended.

However, if the manager does not like you then you might be “pulled up” and taken to higher authority.

Unfairness or heartlessness

Gifts and tokens of appreciation received from high-end establishments are not evenly distributed.

The deserving nurses who take the brunt of the manual labor receive nothing whereas management keep the perks to themselves.

Many times, nurses “drown” as they work alone or with skeleton staff.

Nurses battle to provide quality care given the high nurse to patient ratio, workload and the patient’s acuity and category.

Management would not lift a finger or raise a leg to assist.

Yes, the nurse suffers but the patient suffers more.

A therapeutic nurse to patient relationship is not developed. A thorough physical assessment is not done and quality care is not rendered to the best of the nurse’s ability.

Favoritism

Managers give their favorite nurses preferential treatment and do not care how visible it is.

Managers openly say all nurses are free to leave the establishment and seek employment elsewhere.

Yet, they try everything to prevent nurses from leaving when the opportunity presents itself.

Management and “liked and unliked nurses”

The “liked” nurses are pampered and thoroughly trained for certain positions even without knowledge, qualifications and experience. These nurses bypass everyone who started working before them.

The “liked” nurses get a day owning when they do not report to work. Whereas the “disliked” nurses get NOD- not on duty and are scolded.

The “liked” nurses get whatever request they want. The “disliked” nurses must beg for their request and sometimes do not get it.

The “liked” nurses get weekends and holidays off even without requesting whereas the “disliked” nurses would not.

The “liked” nurses know every detail about scholarships whereas the “disliked” nurses are told close to the deadline.

The “liked” nurses get opportunities to learn new skills, go to workshops and get available sessions. The “disliked” nurses do not share the same fate.

Overtime, the “liked” nurses are promoted and the “disliked” nurses are transferred to another ward as a form of punishment.

Frustrated nurses

Minus their nurse peers and family, nurses have nobody to express their concerns to.

When nurses air their views to management, they are said to be complainers and get bad appraisals.

There are multiple managers and everybody wants to be in charge so there lacks structure and unity.

Rules are bent for some nurses and not all.

Management plays a significant role in the reasons nurses migrate. There is no one to manage management.

Then again. Who cares, right?

Reems Sonson

Our Tropical Living

Come live and love island life

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This is not a paid or sponsored blog post but based on discussion with a few nurses.

Abortion and lifelong effects

Getting pregnant when you are not trying and deciding what to do with an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy can be scary.

Abortion

Abortion is the termination of an ongoing pregnancy. Deciding to terminate a pregnancy can be challenging. The advantages and disadvantages of having an abortion and the long-term implications of an abortion are to be considered when deciding to have an abortion.

Seeking guidance from a professional counselor could ensure that an informed decision is made as it relates to having an abortion. The final decision as to whether to have an abortion should be yours.

Some people act on their present emotions and do not think about the consequences associated with having an abortion but it could be traumatizing later on.

An abortion can be done because the pregnancy was unplanned and unwanted. Due to rape, relationship problems, financial difficulties, no desire to have children or more children and personal reasons could be factors that warrant an abortion. Pressure from a partner, family or friends could also increase the chances of people getting an abortion.

Sometimes women keep the pregnancy a secret, have an abortion and do not tell their partner. Overtime, some partners find out or the woman feels guilty and come clean about the pregnancy and abortion.

Long term effects of having an abortion

Some people feel relieved after an abortion whereas some suffer from psychological problems. A sense of grief and loss can be felt after having an abortion. The loss may be experienced immediately after or surface over time.

Having an abortion could cause post-traumatic stress disorder as people have difficulty recovering from having the abortion. These people go into distress as they relive the date of the abortion, the time of pregnancy or around the time of their due date had they carried the pregnancy to term.

An abortion could destroy a relationship as women may no longer desire to be with their partner especially if they were forced into doing the abortion.

Shame and guilt

Shame and sadness can be felt as people question their initial decision and live with regret. Over the years, some wonder what their child would be like if they were alive.

The guilt could encourage some couples to become pregnant again to make it up to the child they aborted. As some try to deal with the guilt, they may become suicidal. They become self-destructive as they inflict harm on themselves to serve as a way of punishment.

Resentment

Abortion is seen as a violent killing of an unborn child so some people see themselves as a murderer. Resentment is common especially if years go by and a couple remain childless or want a child but have difficulty with getting pregnant.

Dealing with having an abortion

People can heal from the emotional effects of an abortion although it may take time. Seeking professional help from a counselor and journaling are common coping strategies.

Many people do not want to be judged and see the need to keep an abortion a secret due to the stigma attached. Feel free to speak about the abortion when you are ready.

Do not think that you are being punished and that hardship later in life is as a direct result of the abortion.

To those who have had an abortion, know that the abortion is part of your story. You could help other women overcome the mental challenges that follow having an abortion by starting a support group.

To those who are considering having an abortion, think this through properly. Organize your thoughts, think about the future and how an abortion will affect you and your family. Think about what you want and ensure you receive professional counseling before.

Reems Sonson

Our Tropical Living

Come live and love island life

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Why is nursing a noble profession

Direct contact

Nurses play a pivotal role in the health care sector. With the rise in communicable diseases and change in time and shape of the world, nurses remain integral to health care.

Nurses are the backbone of health care. The nurse is the link between the doctor and the patient.

We are the glue that keep everything together. We are the ones at your bedside even when you chase us.

We are the ones holding your hands, praying with you, begging you to fight to stay alive and sometimes provide comfort and watch as you transition.

We are your surrogate family. We establish rapport on first contact and try to break the ice by saying a dry joke just to put you at ease and make you feel comfortable.

Nursing is hard manual labor

Nurses are skillful and practice mental strength daily. We experience emotional turmoil on every shift. The things we see are traumatizing and indescribable.

Nurses are committed to taking care of the sick. We take responsibility even when more demands are placed on us.

We have high tolerance for you even more than we have for our families. Nurses practice lots of patience to deal with the patients.

Nursing is a selfless act. Nurses risk their lives to care for the sick and dying. We are present no matter the infectious or non-infectious disease.

It is almost like we nurses do not care for our own lives as we provide direct care and service to mankind. Even though we may be afraid, we put on a brave face as we attend to contagious patients.

It is like saying “okay disease, here I am. Come and get me, catch me if you can.” We worry that we will contract a disease at work and carry it home to our families, but we still do our duties diligently.

Nursing is a rewarding career that offers things money cannot buy.

We try to make you feel better emotionally, physically, psychologically and spiritually as we nurse you back to good health.

We are there to be a shoulder to lean on and a hand to hold in times of need. We spend the most time with you.

Yet, we are turned into punching bags when you are angry, feel better or when we do not meet your every demand.

Resilience

Nurses have love and compassion for their patients. Sometimes with little to no staff, heightened workload and many critically ill patients, we become task oriented.

Since we are constantly on the go and move from one patient to the next, we have little attachment.

Sometimes we build a deep bond with our patients. Nurses generously and whole heartedly give themselves away.

Sometimes we say we will not do certain tasks because it is beyond our job description but we do it just because we care about the wellbeing of our patients.

Even when we are heartbroken for you. We remain strong willed, calm, present, focused, observant and sympathetic.

I am a nurse

Writing this blog post brought tears to my eyes as I remembered the amount of lives I have touched and the lives which I could not save especially my mom’s no matter how much I tried.

I am proud to be a nurse!

To all the great nurses I have known or worked with, continue doing a great job. I thank you for your sacrifice and service. I recognize your tireless contribution and dedication. You are resilient!

Reems Sonson

Our Tropical Living

Come live and love island life

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Surviving at the hospital- what to pack for your hospital stay

Admission to the hospital is sometimes unpredictable and unanticipated. Other times it can be planned for surgery, childbirth and elective procedures.

It is good to be prepared when an illness comes unexpectedly. Keep a grab and go bag packed with items for when the time comes and you are to be rushed to the hospital.

Call it your “hospital bag!” Do not keep your hospital bag a secret! If you live alone, tell someone where you keep it.

Hospital stay can be terrifying, tedious and frustrating. Pack items to ease your mind, keep you comfortable and well entertained, maintain your daily hygiene and help with privacy.

The personal items you require depends on your illness and present state.

Ensure to check your hospital bag at intervals for expired items and replenish as you take from your stock.

Pack the things you would take on a weekend trip minus your bathing suit and shorts! Sometimes a hospital stay serves as a vacation and sweet escape for some patients!

At the hospital

Hospital stays can be traumatic for both patients and relatives. Care at the hospital is not easy nor straightforward.

Remember, if you did not need to be monitored, you would not be admitted.

The hospital is a busy place so your sleep might be affected by staff as they monitor you. Crying patients, call bells and the sounds of beeping machines can also keep you awake.

You might be attached to a lot of machines and have lots of tubes and wires on you, do not be alarmed! Be prepared for the needles and countless blood works and intravenous medication! Ultrasounds and x-rays might be done!

Do not be agitated if you call and help does not come one time.

Different roles

You will encounter different staff all with different roles. Everyone you meet is trying to help you and wants you to recover speedily so you can be discharged.

Be polite and not aggressive towards staff. Often, the person attending to you got an order from someone else so do not try to beat them up for doing their job.

They are just trying to help you. Ask who ordered the procedure and monitoring and the purpose and take up your concern with the person who ordered it.

Hospital admission key notes

All hospitals are different and have different protocols so items allowed in one hospital might not be allowed in another.

The bedside table and space assigned to you might be small. Ensure you pack your items accordingly in a proper bag.

Use permanent marker and place your name on all your items so it can be returned to you if it gets lost, misplaced or stolen.

Needed items whilst at the hospital

Medical records

Hold your medication, prescriptions, past medical records and reports. This would thoroughly provide the health care team with more information about you.

Remember to indicate all the things you are allergic too.

Hygiene

Ensure to pack these necessities: toiletries, toilet paper, towel, bath soap or shower gel, skin care products, deodorant, razor, comb, hair care products, adult diapers, sanitary pads, wash rags and bathtub.

Disinfectant wipes make a big difference! They are useful to wipe surfaces to limit the spread of infections and can be used for perineal care.

Comfort

Carry mints to keep your mouth fresh. Keep juice, water and healthy snacks on standby so you can have something to munch on.

Loose fitting pajamas and comfortable cotton underwear are a must.

Pack a plastic bedroom slipper with rubber soles instead of a cloth slipper to prevent slipping and breeding of bacteria. Pack your socks too!

Bring your own pillow and bed sheets. The hospital is usually a cold place so hold your extra warmth.

The cooling system can be torturing and drying to the skin so walk with your lip balm and skin moisturizer.

Have your hand sanitizer at your bedside in case you are unable to wash your hands as frequently as you like.

The hospital can seem like daytime even at nights. An eye mask could make sleeping much better!

Light robe to maintain your privacy and especially if you are in a shared room.

Clothes to wear upon discharge.

Stay entertained

Hold a puzzle book, novel and magazine to keep your mind occupied.

NO!

Avoid carrying lots of money with you, expensive jewelry, alcohol, illicit drugs or pets!

There will be no one to monitor your personal items and the hospital will not be liable if they go missing.

Having a baby? Breasts pads, maxi pads, fully equipped diaper bags, blankets and all the baby extras would be required.

If you are conscious, remember your walking stick, wheelchair, hearing aid, phone, tablet, chargers, an adapter and your dentures on the day you are being taken to the hospital.

It is your right

Being admitted to the hospital is not a jail sentence. You still have a say and you have the right to refuse treatment.

No need to argue, simply say you refuse. You will be advised accordingly but you will not be forced.

Every hospital has their own protocols. Respect the hospital’s routines and protocols.

There are set times at which things are done unless an emergency arises and the time frame within which you are to receive care is compromised.

Therefore, do not yell at the nurse when you are awoken to get your vital signs checked or medication administered at odd hours.

Remember that the hospital is a building but the people working there are human just like you.

Ever been to the hospital? How was the time spent?

Reems Sonson

Our Tropical Living

Come live and love island life

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How to survive nursing school

DHS class of 2013, I love you and miss you! I shout out hello wherever you are and I hope that you are enjoying nursing and still have the zeal as you did at school!

DHS class of 2013

My years at nursing school were some of the best school years because I made some lifelong friends. My class did almost everything together and felt like a large family with 34 persons.

Of course we had class couples and class drama but we had fun!

A group of us would go to Burger King every Friday after class. The double stacker served with ginger ale was my favourite. Yummy yum!

After eating we would sometimes walk around town. Our goodbyes were long because everybody had to hug each other. The good old days…

Proud mom

I was extremely happy to start nursing school but boy I did not know what I was in for. My mom was extremely proud that I had decided to go to nursing school that she quickly spread the word.

She encouraged me to study instead of going out and would even bring my dinner to my room when I was studying. She was such a sweet mommy! Sigh! Continue to rest easy mommy.

Nursing school

The first semester of nursing school started off a bit easy because I had been exempted from some courses. However by the second semester I started feeling the stress of school.

Most times I cried because of Anatomy and Physiology and Dosage Calculations. I did not see how I would pass these courses. Learning the body parts in depth and learning the medical jargons got the best of me and everyone in the class.

Dosage calculations hmph was my enemy! It was difficult to understand and perform the mathematical calculations. So much to learn in so little time! I was very miserable and worried. Would I pass or be able to complete nursing school!?

The workload was intense that I felt like quitting all the time. I honestly kept telling myself that I did not want to disappoint my mom and wanted to help her have a better life. My mom was my strength.

My sweet Sam

The course material was extra challenging. My partner would help me with my assignments every night over skype. Religiously I would send him my assignments and he would do all the research. He made my work much lighter. Thank you Sam!

Lots to do

Nursing school is very expensive! The books too are expensive! We ALWAYS had to be printing at the Reprographic Centre commonly called Rip-off! Do not ask about presentations, group work, case studies and clinicals at the school, hospitals and health centres.

Tons of unfamiliar terms and medical jargons, performing clinicals and doing return demonstrations. The information we had to learn, absorb and retain was compact and in a short time. I felt bombarded with information.

Weekly assignments, quiz and exams! My mom would say “check the state of Rema’s room” in Saint Lucian creole and call my room a pig’s pen because I had papers and books scattered all over.

Yes, there were projects and field trips too!

You literally have no social life when at nursing school. Some of us managed to go to Upper Level Nightclub sometimes to party hard and relieve our school stress! Oh yes!

Our lecturers

We had the most wonderful lecturers! Mrs James was the coordinator of the Department of Health Sciences (DHS). She would inspect our uniforms to ensure that we were abiding by the rules. She would tell us to pray and she believed in us every chance she got.

Sister Jolie was warm and caring. She was so soft spoken that her voice would put me to sleep, she was an earthly angel. Continue to rest in peace Sister Jolie.

Ms. Antoine was always jovial and she would mistake myself for Tama and Misha because she said we looked alike. Laughs! We had to do lots of drug cards for her Introduction to Pharmacology class!

By the end of Ms. Antoine class we would have become pharmacists and know both the generic and trade names of the drugs, drug interactions, indications and side effects plus patient education.

Mrs. Lesfloris was such a sweet clinical instructor. She would constantly be seen with the other clinical instructor- Mrs. Dolor. Mrs. Dolor was the actress and funniest lecturer. Mrs. Dolor would always be smiling and had many funny stories to share.

Mrs. Preville taught the most challenges courses! Anatomy and dosage! She told us daily that we were “fearfully and wonderfully made.” I still tell myself the same thing even years after leaving nursing school.

Ms. Peter was very classy and wanted the class to stand every time she entered. She made her classes fun, easy to understand and wanted to see us all succeed.

Mr. Hewitt was passionate about teaching Environmental Health and constantly spoke about health inspection. Ms. Mathurin, Ms. St. Juste and Mrs. Plummer taught Psychology and were always smiling and gave fun stories about their work.

Mr. Griffith was well known for his communication skills and ensured that Communication class was filled with presentations to improve public speaking.

Administrative Personnel

Mrs. Elliot, Mrs. Ludovic and Ms. Boullie were the ones we bombarded with all our school questions. Thank you all for your help and not getting too frustrated with us!

Exams

I do not know where some of the lecturers got the exams from or how they formulated the questions but wah! The exams would be very difficult and different from what we studied.

Some of the medical terms were foreign to me because I did not come across them whilst studying. I do not know if I was sleeping during the class but I had to do “anti mali” where I sang a song and guessed the correct answers.

Mostly all the choices given during nursing exams are correct but you must select the most correct option! My oh my!

Hearing persons discuss the exams and their selected answers or seeing I wrote the wrong answer after I searched the textbook was equally painful as the exam.

Ways to survive nursing school

–Form a study group

Study groups can be disruptive and unproductive for some so they prefer to study independently but study groups work well for others. I prefer studying alone but the study group I was in helped increase my understanding of the course material.

I got fresh ideas, different perspective and different explanations. We would compare our notes and would not move on until everyone understood a concept. The study group served as a means of social and academic support.

I was a part of a click so we reviewed our assignments together before submission. We also reviewed past papers, practice questions and study material before exams.

-Take notes during class and recapitulate

Take notes during class and review all notes after class to refresh memory, reinforce what you learned, increase remembrance and seek clarity where necessary.

Master the course material after class to help prepare for exams. This limits the need to cram and increases the probability of succeeding on the end of semester exam.

Review your notes throughout the semester and do lots of practice questions from online test banks.

-Exercise

I exercised daily to release my school stress and anxiety and mostly because I did not want to gain weight. Exercising at the time really prevented me from losing my mind!

-Practice clinicals

My dad got me a big doll so I used it to practice my clinicals. I would lay it on my bed and do a return demonstration of what I was taught at clinicals. Get someone to be your patient and practice your clinical skills!

-Set a study routine

Set a study routine and stick to it. This helped with the constant information overload and I did not feel pressured to learn loads at the end of the semester.

Whether you study when you get home from school, do an all-nighter or wake up at 1 a.m. to 4 a.m . like I would, decide what works best for you.

-Embrace sticky notes and flashcards

Put sticky notes all over your room or places you could review them easily. I placed my sticky notes over the mirror and walls of my room, anywhere I would be able to read them.

I used flashcards “on the go” so I kept them with me when I left the house so I had study material readily available. I loved reading my flashcards during commute as well.

Ms. St. Juste told the class that one of the best times to review course material was during an advertisement whilst watching television. That did work for me especially when I was watching news with my mom.

-Vent and use your support system

Talk about your feelings openly instead of keeping it bottled up. Use your support system and speak to persons you trust. Journal! Just breathe even though you feel like the school work will kill you. I sometimes used a paper bag to breathe in to reduce my school anxiety.

To my past classmates and persons who have left nursing school, what do you miss most about nursing school? What would you tell someone who is interested in becoming a nurse?

To the aspiring nurses! Nursing school is just the tip of the ice berg! Bed side nursing is challenging and another level of “STRESS!”

The nurses of today!

Group project on Post Mortem with Dr. King

Practicing what we preach! College marathon together

Reems Sonson

Ourtropicalliving.com

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Why are Caribbean nurses migrating?

Nurse migration is a pressing issue that is surprisingly not being discussed, being taken lightly and kept in the dark. Loss of health care workforce means a weakened health care system and inability to meet the basic health care needs of the population. This further prompts more nurses to migrate away from their home country.

Whilst remaining in one’s country to work used to be the norm and persons did not think of emigrating. Now, it seems to be a matter of when one will migrate. Thinking of leaving my loved ones behind and the place I call home is saddening and heart-breaking.

What influences a nurse’s decision to move? Is health care not a major priority by the government? What does it mean for a country to have no nurses? How will the health care system be affected if there are no nurses? How will the economy and economic output and productivity be affected with limited to no nurses?

Nurse migration

Nursing is a mobile profession so nurses could work anywhere they choose to. Nurses are leaving their home country for personal and professional development, better pay, better quality of life and personal safety. Some nurses seek adventure, novelty and change.

It surprises me that one’s own country does not see the advantages of its nurses yet there is a war for nurses in industrialized countries. Many countries are competing in this competitive global market as they seek nurses from different countries.

The packages offered from the industrialized countries look lucrative and show enhanced opportunities for both the nurse and their family. There are incentives for nurses, facilitated immigration process and open entry to countries. Nurses are also given preferential treatment plus they could move with their families.

Rippling effect

Nurses who migrate further affect the already disadvantaged health care system. This worsens working conditions for nurses left behind as they suffer from heavier workloads.

Heavier workload could cause reduced work satisfaction, low morale, high levels of absenteeism and burnout which all impact quality of care.

Reasons nurses leave

Can you imagine working within an organization for years and remaining at the same level? Or seeing nurses who came after you get promoted? Furthering your education and still not getting a salary increase?

Nurses are leaving due to limited upward mobility and diversity, limited career opportunities, lack of resources to get the job done effectively, slow or lack of promotion and no future.

Nurses suffer from poor and unstable working conditions, lack of workplace safety, limited staffing, heavy workload and high nurse to patient ratio.

Nurses have low salary in their home country and lack of social and retirement benefits. There is no overtime pay but lots of work “overload” and a stressful working environment.

Nurses are limited! Limited opportunities for employment or job advancement, limited to no say in work schedule and working hours and limited chance to upgrade nursing skills.

Yes, that too! Talk about hostility in the workplace. Non-involvement in decision making, lack of support from supervisors and constant blame, bullying, bashing and targeting.

Nurses perform loads of non-nursing tasks including that of a doctor, orderly, health aid and cleaner. Nurses have suffered for too long silently and are emotionally exhausted.

Nurses are frustrated from the low recognition from management and undervaluation and appreciation by the public and government.

Many nurses have left as a direct result of an unsatisfactory and unstable political environment which caused fear and uncertainty of jobs.

Catch that package

Packages offered from other countries show that nurses have access to career advancement. There is recognition of professional expertise, attractive salaries and social and retirement benefits. A professional work environment with sensitive employment policies are also highlighted.

Understaffing

Overworked nurses can suffer from fatigue and burnout and feel overwhelmed. This could impair the nurse’s ability to focus on tasks and pay attention to details, increase medical errors and cause missed nursing care. This could affect the patient as they may experience lack of engagement, neglect, high risk of infection, complications and falls and increased risk of mortality.

Understaffing means the same amount of work for fewer nurses. This increases the nurse to patient ratio and causes breakdown in mental, emotional and physical health. When nurses become sick, tired or injured from the chronic staffing limitations they will miss work.

This further compounds the staffing problems. Nurses who face constant stress at work can develop health issues including depression, anxiety, exhaustion, hypertension and even suicidal thoughts. Understaffing significantly affects relationship with loved ones as nurses are usually too tired from work to engage in fun, homebased activities.

Patients

Understaffing could increase negative patient and family perceptions of nursing care. This causes the patient to distrust the health care system especially if they feel like they received inadequate or rushed care and decreased explanation of medication, diagnosis and procedures.

Overall, inadequate staff on duty could jeopardize patient and worker safety.

Keep nurses

Organizations need to focus on keeping nurses and improving staff. Nurses employed now may become disgruntled later and leave, so, how can organizations retain nurses?

Create an environment that is desirable to stay because employing nurses is not enough. A strong workplace and culture should be enforced. Trust should be developed between staff and management.

Nurses could be provided with flexible work schedules. Nurses are selfless and often put their patients and co-workers needs ahead of their own.

Allow nurses to work with each other to create flexible working and staffing schedules for their units in a way that meet the needs of everyone.

Nurses input should be valued. Nurses should be able to freely air their views and their voices heard without being labelled or their comments used against them on their appraisals.

Health care studies can be subsidized or provided free for nurses. Phlebotomy, basic life support and advanced life support courses could be provided free. Nurse renewal license could also be free.

Schooling could be paid for nurses or a tuition reimbursement program be put in place. Nurses could then sign bonds for at least two or three years once employment has begun.

Nurses should be given career advancement opportunities so they could feel like they have a future within the organization. Nurses should be able to transition from their RN certificate to BSN or other areas of interest.

Nurses need opportunities to float on different units and shadow other people.

How about recognizing nurse’s degrees and increasing nurse’s salaries after completion of their degree. How about promoting nurses to nurse manager quicker.

Yes, rally for nurses to have reduction in vehicle and telephone rates.

A nonbiased method to reward high performers could be developed to demonstrate appreciation for staff efforts so nurses can feel appreciated for the work they do. Motivated nurses will go the extra mile and provide exceptional patient care.

Pay

Nurses need overtime pay, more risk allowance pay, severance pay, more night duty pay, charge nurse pay and preceptor pay.

You think nurses want to leave and experience the barriers to migration?

The process of transfer and migration can be overwhelming and costly. The immigration process too can be costly. Nurses need to learn new technology and terminology and adapt to the language.

Nurses have to adjust to different clinical practices, procedures, equipment and a new work environment.

Leaving one’s family, friends, country and establishing oneself in a new country can be emotionally taxing. Disappearance of one’s social support system can be very difficult.

Adjusting to a new culture and environment can be challenging. Double standards, exposure to racism and discrimination are other key elements.

Tell me what can cause the nurses to stay!

Thank you for reading our findings on our survey carried out on why nurses are migrating across the Caribbean!

Visit categories on the main page and click on the “Health Care” section for more on health care!

Reems Sonson

Our Tropical Living

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Hospital Orderlies

Nonmedical care

Hospital orderlies commonly called porters provide nonmedical care to patients and assist medical personnel where necessary. Orderlies do plenty heavy lifting, carrying and moving of patients and equipment.

Orderlies work under supervision of a nurse when providing care to a patient and perform a vast amount of physical labour which is most times strenuous.

Orderlies can be seen in a hospital setting moving patients to different departments in wheelchairs or mobile beds to have procedures done. You might also spot an orderly carrying samples and blood products to the laboratory for investigation.

Orderlies are on their feet for long periods and have a physically demanding job. They provide direct assistance to nurses, perform basic tasks, take care of patients and take care of the work environment.

Orderlies contribute significantly to the health care sector.

All-rounders

Orderlies help with repositioning of patients since some patients are bed ridden and unable to turn independently. Some patients are too ill to perform basic activities so orderlies assist these patients as much as possible and where necessary.

Orderlies are all-rounders as they perform their various roles on a daily basis: from carrying equipment and items to different units, assisting with restraining combative patients, assisting patients to the washroom, sourcing items, pulling patients up in bed and making patients feel more comfortable in bed.

There is more! Orderlies take patients to and from the operating room, radiology department and renal unit. They transfer patients from bed to wheelchair and vice versa. Orderlies are also the ones bringing the patients to the various units following admission and assist the patients upon discharge as they are taken to their taxi.

Orderlies have frequent contact with patients and can develop close, caring relationships with patients. The orderlies hard work and effort tend to go unrecognized and the good work they do remain in isolation.

To all the orderlies out there, continue doing such an amazing job!

Reems Sonson

Our Tropical Living

Come live and love island life

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A NOT so typical day as a nurse

That thing called “Nursing”

Nursing has been one of the most challenging things I have done! Nursing can affect you physically, emotionally, mentally, socially and spiritually. You experience many different feelings and events on a daily basis and some are extremely traumatizing.

To the persons who want to become a nurse, please ensure that you prepare yourself mentally and physically. Every day is different and you do not know what you will encounter on the job.

Nursing is a very unpredictable, overwhelming, stressful, tiring but rewarding career. My favourite part of the job is seeing a patient recover fully from a life threatening condition and leave the hospital cheerful and thankful when they are discharged to their home.

Witnessing this makes me feel proud of myself. I tell myself “wow, I helped do this. I helped bring someone back to a state of good health and wellbeing!” It feels amazing!

Crazy? Hectic? Morning shift?

Morning change of shift report

The morning report usually occurs from 7 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. The nurses from the night shift give the oncoming nurses a rundown of what transpired from the last morning shift up until the end of the night shift at 7 a.m.

After the morning report, the nurses station is cleaned, the crash trolley assessed and the nurses are assigned to the patients they will care for for the shift.

Receiving your patients is like having a whole new family every day.

Meet the family

You proceed to assess your patients by performing a head to toe physical assessment and rate their independence level and ability to perform activities of daily living.

This is the first physical encounter with the patient so you use your nursing judgement to develop an individualized plan of care centered around the patient’s needs and diagnosis.

This is generally an introductory stage and where you develop a one on one and therapeutic nurse-patient relationship. It is the “breaking the ice” stage for me.

Rundown of the surgical morning shift

Depending on the day of the week then the ward requisition is done. This entails thoroughly assessing inventory on the ward to see what is low in supply and what is necessary to order.

Requisition has to be done accurately to ensure that the ward has supplies so that the nurses and doctors can perform their duties efficiently and effectively.

The morning shift tend to be the busiest and most hectic!

Reasons for the busy mornings

Doctor’s rounds

Various doctors perform doctor’s rounds at varying times. This includes surgical doctors, medical doctors, the orthopaedics team, the neurologists, nephrologists, psychiatrists and dermatologists.

If it is a female unit then the gynaecologist too would make rounds. Sometimes patients are managed by multiple doctors depending on their condition so rounds can become overwhelming for them.

Nurses follow rounds and assist doctors where necessary during rounds. Doctor’s rounds serve as a time to receive the updated management for the patient, discuss the patient’s condition and improvement in the patient’s status.

Doctor’s rounds merely revolve around the patient, serve as an educational tool and ensure that everyone is informed of the treatment plan and are on the same page. The plan of care is re-evaluated and adjustments are made or it continues.

Patients

Most times nurses have to prepare multiple patients for procedures and surgery and then receive these patients from surgery. Nurses handle discharges and admissions, do wound dressings, remove drains, set up intravenous (vein) fluids and parenteral nutrition (nutrition given intravenously).

Vital signs including blood sugar get assessed and medication has to be given at various times.

Patients have to be cleaned multiple times especially when their condition do not permit catheterization.

Depending on the patients status, nurses have to accompany patients to the radiology department for ultrasound, chest Xray, Doppler ultrasound and any other procedure that has to be done.

Patients have to be propped up in bed to eat and to be fed. Plus nurses have to sometimes suction patients, reposition patients and perform pressure area care.

Nurses have to perform the doctor’s orders and any stat orders given (right now, immediately). The stat orders could include catherization, administration of new medication, insertion of nasogastric tubes, administer blood transfusions and giving enemas.

Visitors and relatives

The morning shift is packed with responding to visitors questions and concerns, directing persons who walk in as an elective case and assisting family members trying to locate a relative.

Nurses have to attend to all other visitors who come in for assistance and advice. Plus there is visiting time! Nurses often are asked by relatives to update them on a patient’s current state and educate them on the patient’s needs.

The morning shift is filled with educating patients and relatives, allaying fears and concerns and providing support and reassurance.

Phone

Multiple phone calls are received and made! Calls range from other health care workers seeking information, calling doctors for patient issues and calling various units for resources.

Patients frequently ask nurses to call relatives on their behalf and relatives also call to inquire about patients.

“In betweens”

Nurses assist patients and doctors where necessary and staff from other units coming in for supplies.

Attend to patients who call and need assistance at their bedside to empty commodes including urinals or bed pans.

Nurses have to document, lots of paper work!

This is only the beginning of what we do and we are not even half way!

There is no such thing as a typical day in the life of a nurse. A patient can be laughing with you now and a second later going into cardiac arrest. The shift quickly goes from nonemergency to emergency.

Sometimes I say nurses should be given roller skates because of the quick paste at which they have to work and move on the ward.

By the end of the day, nurses are mostly hungry, thirsty, body sore and aching, feet tired and really just want to get home to their family, bed, television or pet.

Thank you nurses for having lots of patience whilst caring for the patients.

I leave the rest to you…feel free to answer and share your experiences as a nurse.

What do you love about your job? When does it get hectic?

Reems Sonson

Our Tropical Living

Come live and love island life

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Doing this for my passion for sharing my stories and love for writing. This is not a paid nor sponsored blog post.

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