So after lunch we had orientations for health education classes, which will be held in two schools, one in Jaibon (the town in which we're staying), and the other in a town a short drive down the highway. Groups have since met and constructed lesson plans and gathered/created instructional tools (posters, flashcards, and models).
The health clinic orientation followed soon after. Lynne, Kelly, and I are assigned to the clinics all week long, as Lynne is one of less than five physicians in the whole group of 200+ volunteers. Kelly has been assigned as the Pharmacy Manager, while I will act as the Floor Manager, keeping the flow of traffic, supplies, runners, and patients running smoothly as they rotate among registration, triage, provider care, and the pharmacy. This organizational style is modeled directly from ICS (Incident Command System), whether they know it or not. This is wonderful, as I am familiar with ICS from my recent stints working H1N1 clinics in Sacramento. I have found this type of organizational model is imperative, as chaos is always lurking right behind your next patient.
After the clinics orientation, we debated whether or not to start sorting medications, as we have many hundreds of pounds is supplies with which to stock the clinic and pharmacy. We decided to postpone until after dinner, which was served shortly thereafter. Dinner tonight was spaghetti, with local artisan bread (davis bakeries have NOTHING on the ones here) and watermelon. There are large water coolers (think orange and white things from athletic teams) available with water and juices all the time, which is nice, since it's hotter than... pretty much anywhere not currently engaged in active warfare.
It is super humid here (think DC in August), and mosquitos to boot. Same size as from home though. The bathroom situations are notable, if not a little off-putting for many. The sewage system fails to tolerate toilet tissue, so while there are flush toilets, TP must be discarded in a wastebin in each stall. When people fail to remember this, and disregard the request to retrieve TP with a stick prior to flushing, the toilets flood. So now my feet are Haz-Maty, and right after showering! :-(
People will hopefully catch on quick!
After dinner, we labeled the tables with various pharmaceutical groupings, and proceeded to unload a Kaiser pharmacy-worthy amount of meds. Those in need with common ailments will be able to receive both top-notch care and prescription medications. Those with itch have nearly 4 gallons of topical hydrocortisone available, as Kelly and I unearthed gallon baggy after gallon baggy of tubes from our "Derm" table of meds. CVS' throught the country must be experiencing an unexplainable run on anti-itch creams. Ah scabies, how you alter our economy.
The health clinic orientation followed soon after. Lynne, Kelly, and I are assigned to the clinics all week long, as Lynne is one of less than five physicians in the whole group of 200+ volunteers. Kelly has been assigned as the Pharmacy Manager, while I will act as the Floor Manager, keeping the flow of traffic, supplies, runners, and patients running smoothly as they rotate among registration, triage, provider care, and the pharmacy. This organizational style is modeled directly from ICS (Incident Command System), whether they know it or not. This is wonderful, as I am familiar with ICS from my recent stints working H1N1 clinics in Sacramento. I have found this type of organizational model is imperative, as chaos is always lurking right behind your next patient.
After the clinics orientation, we debated whether or not to start sorting medications, as we have many hundreds of pounds is supplies with which to stock the clinic and pharmacy. We decided to postpone until after dinner, which was served shortly thereafter. Dinner tonight was spaghetti, with local artisan bread (davis bakeries have NOTHING on the ones here) and watermelon. There are large water coolers (think orange and white things from athletic teams) available with water and juices all the time, which is nice, since it's hotter than... pretty much anywhere not currently engaged in active warfare.
It is super humid here (think DC in August), and mosquitos to boot. Same size as from home though. The bathroom situations are notable, if not a little off-putting for many. The sewage system fails to tolerate toilet tissue, so while there are flush toilets, TP must be discarded in a wastebin in each stall. When people fail to remember this, and disregard the request to retrieve TP with a stick prior to flushing, the toilets flood. So now my feet are Haz-Maty, and right after showering! :-(
People will hopefully catch on quick!
After dinner, we labeled the tables with various pharmaceutical groupings, and proceeded to unload a Kaiser pharmacy-worthy amount of meds. Those in need with common ailments will be able to receive both top-notch care and prescription medications. Those with itch have nearly 4 gallons of topical hydrocortisone available, as Kelly and I unearthed gallon baggy after gallon baggy of tubes from our "Derm" table of meds. CVS' throught the country must be experiencing an unexplainable run on anti-itch creams. Ah scabies, how you alter our economy.
We packed up our supplies, and have them ready to load tomorrow, when we depart at 0730 for our first clinic. This week's clinics will be held in communities not before served by OO Health Clinics. We hear the townspeople are excited for our arrival, and we're excited to see them too!
I need sleep, but more tomorrow. The picture below is of our tent ("Chateau Scannell") third from left, and our bathroom/shower facilities in the back right. The trees in the foreground are mango trees, and currently have fruit on them. As do the nearby coconut trees nearer the orphanage playground.
Sent from my iPhone
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