What Are the Conditions Of The Medical Facilities In Reservations?

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I was communicating with a member who shared that some of the conditions of medical facilities in reservations were not modern. I'd like to know if anyone who has worked in one felt this way. Are there enough supplies or are they short? Is there enough staff to meet the needs of the patients? Enough teaching material?

Thanks!

[vetnrse]

well its been 10 yrs since I worked IHS and at that time the conditions and supplies were quite lower than off the rez. Its basically not too much different now, as I stay in touch with family out there who if they have to go to the hospital , try to go off the rez for better care.Americans would not put up with the lack of supplies, many were older models or items that are not even used in other places. In general you made do with what you had or had to put some things together to make it work. they always are in need of working hospital beds and ivacs and other mechanical supplies, since they break and it takes awhile to get replacements. wheelchairs were always short. The team of nurses there usually made up for it with the dedication. Of course there was some careless work on part of some of the docs but there were good ones too. It would be helpful if the larger hospital corporations in the populated areas of the country made consistent charitable donations of supplies to reservation hospitals instead of constantly adding luxerious wings and other things to their own hospitals.