We continue to attend Morning Report and try to make ourselves helpful here at St. Gabriel’s Hospital. From counting pills to cleaning up patient records, we have kept ourselves very busy.

After meeting with the Palliative Care Unit, we have been making improvements and planning changes to DataPall.  Sister Justa and Nurse Comfort have been so warm and seem to genuinely appreciate our help. They seem to find me amusing and always laugh and smile at me.

Through these experiences and my short time here at the hospital I have found some inspiration and perspective.

St. Gabriel’s is an efficient hospital run by some very hardworking staff.  It serves a population of around 25,000 people a large portion who are HIV/AIDS positive. Electricity goes out at times and medical equipment is scarce. By no means is the hospital or the work the doctors and nurses here accomplish glamorous. Many have been educated in developed worlds and know what else is out there. They also know though that this is the work that saves and helps the lives of many here. They feel a duty to these people and provide care that many would cringe at the thought of.

I ask myself these days whether or not I would be able to do the same. Truthfully as of now, I am hesitant to answer that question.

 

“Patients trust us…it is our duty to protect them.”  – Nurse Comfort