Sifty

Unfortunately, I do have to play of the devil's advocate a little bit here: This is a repeat of a previous comment I have med in regards to volunteering overseas. I currently live and work in Cambodia. A lot of people want to come to places to help which is awesome but it is not as easy as showing up with a first aid kit. You really need to do your research on this. It is not easy to just come over here and help even though the need is high in some areas. If you don't speak the language or understand the culture it is near impossible. Often by starting to help then leaving it causes more harm than good unless you are helping to empower the locals and make the project/organisation sustainable. Look into places that get you to come and teach/train staff instead of trying to help the local people yourself. By increasing the knowledge of local people that are already doing good work you will help a lot more. If you do decide to volunteer with an organisation make sure it is reputable. Don't volunteer at orphanages, most of them are shady. Have a look at this video. it was made by people I know here in Cambodia and gives you some insight into what voluntourism is and the effects it can have. At the end of the day, if you want to come to these countries it often is better to come and have a holiday and spend your money on organisations and places that already have a good sustainable structure in place. There is a lot of them around that are doing really good stuff. So by you buying their products or services this actually makes more of a difference.

Don't drink with younger students when you have to be functional the next day. I could keep up with them but the hangover I suffered the next day was a lot worse than theirs :)

Why concealed carry? Just have them sitting on your hip or slung across your shoulder. Maybe they could become standard equipment. Hospitals could start operating more like veterinarians and animal hospitals. "We have brought Grandma in, she has had a good life, but is getting a bit old and we don't really have time to look after her. We would like her to go quickly". No problem, take her out the back, bang!, all sorted. "That leg is badly broken, you will never be able to run again". Pull the curtain, bang. Sorted. Patient loads easier and they would be more willing to try and get better.

Main Job - Nurse Manager/Western person who deals with and talks to all other western people whether in anyway related to nursing or not. Side Jobs - Teach First Aid & CPR and Lifeguard courses to local businesses and NGO's. - Seat warmer at local bar - very demanding work :)

I would doubt much can be done about it. When working in a different field I was out late one night having a beverage or two and I also seen one of my staff out. The next morning I arrived to work and shortly after got a call from her telling me she was sick and could not come in. I am very sure she was very hungover due to being out the night previously. But there was nothing I could do even though I had that knowledge. I was told that maybe it was the case but that is the individuals choice what they did and there was no requirement for medical certificates if only sick for one shift. It is a pain in the bottom for sure. But little you can do about it.

Run away. It sounds dodgy and you wouldn't want to be caught in the middle of it if the xxxx does hit the fan. I am sure the extra dollars are not worth it. Make a anonymous report with social services or whatever they are called.

IELTS is what is used in Australia. But as far as I am aware as long as you can prove that all your schooling (primary and secondary) was taught in english there is no need for it. Best to check with AHPRA though. https://www.ahpra.gov.au/

Yes that is often the case with name badges. However, myself and other nurses I have worked with often just cover up the surname with a sticker. The patients don't really need to know your last name. Unit managers never had an issue as they understood why. Also you could choose to keep your maiden name at work, so therefore it would be printed on the badge and not your married name. Most places should allow that.

It depends on the situation and his capacity to understand it. It depend on where you are I guess. But in NZ, Australia, UK and a few others if the child is deemed "Gillick"Competent then they can make their own decisions in regards to health treatment. Basically if they are able to understand what they are doing/is going to happen and the consequences of that, then they are deemed competent to make decisions.

I would consider keeping it with your maiden (current name). Depending on where you end up working, sometimes you do not want patients knowing your full name. With all the social media etc it can be easy to find out details about people. I know people who work in healthcare and the police who use their maiden names for everything work related. It keeps them and their family safer.

I am in Cambodia, mental health is poorly understood. The police wouldn't know what else to do with them. if they were white they may just be locked up so the police can get a bribe to let them out. I am sure they could make up any charge they liked. Unfortunately that is reality here.

Yeah the restraints sound a little much, but at the end of the day both patient and staff were safe. I only wish I had some legal backing in cases like this. I have had to discharge 2 attempted suicide cases in the last 2 weeks because I cannot make them stay and get a psych assessment. There is no law to let myself or a doctor hold a patient against their will, and all the police would do is lock them up. Which is definitely not a solution.

You really need to do your research on this. It is not easy to just come over here and help even though the need is high in some areas. If you don't speak the language or understand the culture it is near impossible. Often by starting to help then leaving it cause more harm than good unless you are helping to empower the locals and make the project/organisation sustainable. If you do decide to volunteer with an organisation make sure it is reputable. Don't volunteer at orphanages, most of them are shady. Have a look at this video. it was made by people I know here in Cambodia and gives you some insight into what voluntourism is and the effects it can have. At the end of the day, if you want to come to these countries it often is better to come and have a holiday and spend your money on organisations and places that already have a good sustainable structure in place.

Hi all. I would totally appreciate any advice in regards to this subject as well. I am a NM at a clinic in Cambodia. Recently I have had two self harming cases. The one I had yesterday was a diazepam overdose. This patient had a long history of self harm from the marks on their body and admitted this. Medically -she was alright. Mentally - obviously not. Unfortunately there are very few resources in this country to deal with mental health and no laws that medical staff are able to use to hold people. So after repeated attempts to convince the patient to stay, with some success for a few hours. The patient demanded to be discharged, signed an AMA and away they went. It's a very frustrating situation. When I was in Australia we could have held them for at least 24hrs to be properly assessed and would have the resources and specialists to assist. But here I have very little. I did have a psych consult on the way but that would have still been 3 plus hours till they arrived. So what I am looking for is any strategies to try and convince people to stay so we can help them. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Around 25 mins to work and between 30 - 60 mins on the way home. Depending on traffic, flooding, funerals, weddings, protests, public holidays, someone in the Gov't that wants to go to the airport among other things it could be up to 2 hrs. Distance is about 6km from home. Also have to make sure that someone doesn't try and snatch your bag (I ride a moto), run into you from any direction on any side of the road, you don't fal into giant potholes or get pulled over by police looking for a bribe. So this all make for an interesting commute to and from work :)

It would probably be best to ask the place in NZ that you intend to study at. They would know for sure and have all the details.

Hey all, I have not been on here for quite some time. However I have been looking around for hints and info recently as I have just started a new position as a Nurse Manager. Just - as in 2 weeks ago. Little bit different where I am in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Working at what is called a clinic but maybe a bit more like a very small scale hospital. It is all a bit daunting, sometimes I feel I am in way over my head. Well I probably am but I am still going to try and have a good go of it :). There are so many differences working here to where I was in Australia over a year ago. My staff (who are all lovely) are very good at what they do, but they have so much to learn. They are just task oriented, they do what they are told but very really think about why. I knew to some extent what it would be like prior to starting but I have been working for myself for the past year so I guess it is just a bit of a shock to the system. Communication is a big issue, definitely as my Khmer is pretty average, but also because people don't talk to each other. I ask about patients and their conditions/history and I get next to nothing back. That is from doctors and nurses. Its not just because I am a westerner, it seems to be the same Dr to Dr, nurse to nurse. Notes about anything a very short and not a lot of use. Presently I am sitting in my office, well a room with HR, Finance, IT, Stock control (and all the stock) with a construction site around me due to extensions to the clinic. Construction workers crawling over scaffolding in flipflops and straw hats, it makes me cringe to think about what could happen if there is an accident. (and a rat just ran past the door) I have to start training everyone in basically everything, not because they don't know it, but because there is no records. Even for BLS I have nil documentation to say any of the staff have done it. So that is my start point, BLS assessment starting this week hopefully. Then keep working on my growing list of things. Plus I am to assist in the clinic getting its ISO certification. They might get a shock when they see the policies and procedures I have started on . This is a little bit of a rant, I am sorry. I guess it is just good to be able to type some of this out. Overall, to be honest I do really enjoy everything so far. I just have a lot to get used too. So if any of you that read this have experience with working in similar situations I would definitely appreciate any tips or suggestions.

Grad years are not compulsory so therefore they are not reduced for any reason.

Call the NUM and ask them directly what is happening. It shows you are keen and stops you wondering. I had problems with HR recently and they don't always know what is happening.

Wow - What a wonderful wife you are :) For me I will be heading to Cambodia to do volunteer work, then saving the rest to help pay Med School for my lovely fiance.

If you are not actually touching the pt when you deliver the trays I don't see the need to sanitise before and after every room. If you do not touch anything just set the tray down which is presumably clean and then walk out what are you transferring to the next pt. Same with picking them up you are taking away the dirty tray and only touching the tray and the items to be removed and then going to another pt and removing things not leaving them. If you want to protect yourself during pick up wear gloves. Obviously if there are infection control precautions for certain pts this would be different.

Tattoos have been around for century's, they were not criminal markings but markings of authority and standing in the community, of knowledge. My Maori ancestors had tattoos depicting their tribal and personal history. Yes times have changed but you can not discriminate because of what a person decided to do to their body. People also make mistakes when they are young and silly (I am not implying that people with tattoos have made a mistake, but some do regret their choice later on). I am sure you have all done something you have regretted at some point. How would you feel if you were discriminated because of that action? If it is offensive by way of language or meaning of the tattoo itself I understand the need to cover it up but otherwise why should people have to? As for the oldies not liking it as it was uncommon for women to have them in their day, the internet and smart phones and many other things where not common in their day. Does that mean we should not use them for fear of upsetting them? I have a friend at uni studying nursing who has tatts all up both arms and has long dreads. She works in a nursing home and has for quite some time. She is very well respected by staff and residents alike because of the way she works and the service she provides. Not the way she looks.

Since I can't lay claim to it as I stole it. Please go ahead and steal away It is great isn't it.

I was raised in a similar manner. It doesn't take much to be polite and it can make your day go easier. Also when people are really ***** about something if you are really polite they often get confused and don't know what else to say. I used to work with a lot of miners in a rural area and would get sick of all the swearing. I remember one guy I asked to stop swearing just shut up altogether and walked away as he couldn't think of what else to say. (Made me laugh). My mother who owns a cafe will often stand and wait after people have placed their order until they say "please". Especially the ones who seem to have been brought up without knowledge of manners.

I am really, I promise:D. As I said before it is a line from Scrubs when some characters were feeling unappreciated.