Reality Bites - Not for the weak of hearts

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Hi all!

I just got back from a week of duty at probably the "worst" hospital in our country.

These are some of the things I observed and want to share with you:

1. Patients in that hospital come from very poor and uneducated farming families. The physicians and staff shout at them and yet they feel grateful that someone is "taking care" of their sick relatives.

2. The hospital is classed as 500-bed capacity but with only 65 dilapidated but real beds. Most pts sleep on folding beds which they bring or mats on the floor. Don't ask me how many cats, rats and roaches I saw. Too many to count.

3. There are NO free medical supplies. Pts are told to buy even gloves for the physicians and syringes. Many borrow money from loan sharks especially if the pt is their wife or are young mothers. It is in that hospital's pediatric ward that I heard the most awful sound -- a mother's frustrated cry when her 11 yr old son died bec they couldn't afford anymore the medicine for DHF (dengue).

4. Some are brought in with cc of Pneumonia and get diagnosed with PTB after several days. Maybe this has something to do with how medicines are given especially IVTTs. One syringe for one drug for all pts. without even bothering to sterilize the ports before injecting the drug.

5. Three Preterm neonates sleeping in 1 crib. An improvised bililamp (10 flourescent lamps) with flies and moths at night.

I could go on and on but I would rather think of how to help that hospital for now.

For those of you in First World countries, you have so much to thank for and I hope someday you can share them with us here.

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

How awful, I am grateful to live in US.

Thanks for sharing.

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What country is your country? I do not believe this happened at a county facility in the US.

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Wow, that is a real eye opener. I am so very grateful for the blessings we have here in the US, and know that the situation is dire in other places, but when you see it listed so clearly, it is quite a shock. I am a graduate nurse, and one of my goals after I get my license and some experience is to go on medical missions. The conditions you speak of is something I think about often, and hope one day to do what I can to change it.

You will be in my thoughts and prayers as you care for your patients.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
What country is your country? I do not believe this happened at a county facility in the US.

His/her profile says Phillipines, but the post doesn't mention where this hospital is.

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Hi profile says Phillipines, but doesn't mention where this hospital is.

AAAHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... I didn't think of the obvious... you know, to look at a profile! :p

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Cats, rats and roaches!:uhoh21:

I can't even imagine, and a mother seeing her child die because she cant afford meds for him. How horrible. Sometimes I think life over in the US has problems and that the healthcare system has serious problems. But I cant even imagine those situations! Those poor, poor people :crying2:

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Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.

This is a truly horrifying account. Yes, we Americans have so, so much to be thankful for.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

My step brother had to sleep at the hosptial with 3 little kids to take care of his wife when she was sick with malaria in Thialand. A lot of countries family members have to stay with the patient to "nurse" their family member back to health. There are hospitals like that all over the world and yes we should be grateful we have some of the best facilities in the world. BUT.....

Maybe if theirr doctors and nurses provided healthcare in THEIR OWN COUNTRIES, instead of clammoring to get to the US to work things could get better. Thats not about working in a nice facility, its about money. Consider healthcare in some of those countries IF the medical knowledge were utilized in THEIR OWN COUNTRIES. Somehow i think things would be much better than they are. If you looked back in history, we have had some very poor conditions too, but we hung in there and made things better. WE cant make all their problems go away, he helps those who help themselves.

This could turn into a huge global political debate, i hope it doesnt.

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Maybe if theirr doctors and nurses provided healthcare in THEIR OWN COUNTRIES, instead of clammoring to get to the US to work things could get better.

Unfortunately they have to pay the bills too. Plus, if they didn't come here, our health care system would be in terrible shape so we should be really grateful for what we have.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I have seen documentaries on LINK TV that made my hair stand on end---the conditions some places are unbearable.

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Specializes in Case Mgmt; Mat/Child, Critical Care.

The sheer poverty and living conditions of third world countries is devastating. It really should give us cause to count our blessings....

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