CRISTA AT GOOD SHEPHERD & OCTAVIA WAIGHT

My nursing observation was with Nurse Margret at Good Shepherd’s Clinic on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and at Octavia Waight Centre (a nursing home) on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This was a wonderful experience because I got to interact with people of all ages and patients of all kinds. My observation included prenatal, elderly care, infants and education. I was able to help with prenatal check-ups, which included determining due dates and finding the baby’s heartbeat, and with patients who suffer from chronic ulcers due to diabetes. I observed many patient visits at Good Shepherds clinic which helped give me a feel for the types of problems that face most Belizeans today. These common problems include lack of nutrients -iron and folic acid- from their diets and diabetes. At Octavia Waight I helped with basic tasks such as cooking, cleaning and playing an intense game or two or ten of bingo. This was a wonderful eye opening experience which taught me not only about health care and cultural differences but about what it means to be a compassionate caring person. I learned that nursing is not just about giving injections, changing bandages or taking blood pressure. Nurses should be the listening ear, crying shoulder or comforting touch that we all so desperately need in a world where depression is considered a weakness. These past two weeks have definitely changed my view of nursing.