The Wards

Today I was given the opportunity to shadow one of the Physiotherapist’s on his ward round.

The Wards: All the nurses wear traditional uniform, they look like they are from the 1900s: Black and white stripped dresses, long white pinafores, white hats and long white socks with white shoes. The males wear white trousers and a white shirt. Each individual ward has a its own HDU, with 4 beds. In the HDU the beds can be adjusted into different positions, unlike the metal beds on the wards where if you want the legs to be raised then something in put under the mattress to raise it up. The patients carry their X-Rays and CT scans around with them or are in their bed on wards. The HDUs’ do have air-con and there are fans on the wards. Unfortunately they do not have the same hand washing facilities on the wards and there is a simple bar of soap at each sink. Gloves and face masks are generally available.
The opportunity allowed me to see different wards and chest physiotherapy treatment. Including suction, ACBT, manual techniques, incentive spirometry and mobilisation. Again the concepts behind all treatment are the same and their clinical knowledge is textbook but they have less resources or older equipment.
Seeing the wards has made me appreciate the healthcare we have at home and the facilities that we have. I think every member of staff here works to the best of their ability to carry out their jobs and they all have excellent knowledge, but there are cultural differences between the way things are done in the hospital. The placement is pushing me to be more creative with the resources there are available and the communication barrier.