I’ve always loved working with kids,
so naturally I gravitated towards pediatrics. Though, I have volunteered in a
couple of clinics in the states, the HEAL internship is my very first time
working in pediatrics. I am comfortable interacting with children of all ages,
but I still did not know what to expect from this experience. At the Roatan
Volunteer Pediatric clinic, I have gotten the chance to work with children
ranging from newborns to about 13 years of age. Many children come in smiling
and are joyous as can be. There are also children that are not to fond of
seeing me or the providers. I have definitely had children cry or yell
hysterically as I weigh and measure them. They are especially freaked out when
they see me coming towards them with a thermometer (most of them come to us
after getting vaccines next door and are afraid I am going to give them a shot
with the thermometer). I have enjoyed it all. Talking to the parents and
families, learning more about the children, talking to the children, giving
them stickers, tickling tummies, getting hugs from some of the kids. I know
that working with children is not always going to be easy, but it is something
that I enjoy and it’s the little sweet moments of interacting with them or
seeing a smile that I enjoy the most.
Interning at a pediatric clinic has
shown me that you experience a grand array of emotions in this field, good and
bad. Though a lot of the children that come in are there for routine check-ups,
there are other children who are really sick. Some of the common diagnoses are:
cold, flu and parasite. However there are grave cases that are saddening.
In one instance there was a mother who
came in with her infant and told me she was very concerned because he daughter
had a fever for 15 days. She has taken the baby to the emergency room a couple
of times, but they just sent her home. Yet, the baby’s condition had not
improved at all. As I looked at the baby while doing triage, I could tell she was
very lethargic and did not look well. I sent her in with one of the U.S.
pediatric residents volunteering at the time. She immediately decided that the
baby must be admitted to the hospital and was in shock that the emergency room
had allowed the baby to go home in such condition. It was devastating to see
the baby’s condition and the mother’s worried tears. The pediatric resident
suspected meningitis. Sadly, the hospital does not have the resources that
would allow for the providers to determine the diagnosis and treatment. They
did not have the resources to perform essential tests, such as a spinal tap. So
if indeed the baby had meningitis, the testing that would determine the most
effective course of treatment, was not available. Patients can seek medical
attention on the mainland, but the reality of it that many times people cannot
afford to travel to the mainland. It broke my heart to think that the baby
could pass away just because the island on which she lived was not able to
provide necessary medical attention. I can only imagine all the other families
in Roatan that experienced similar situations.
It took me back to my trip to Mali and
knowing that a baby in the village died of dehydration and diarrhea, something
that could have been treated with the proper resources. In so many instances in
Roatan, there are also situations where an individual stays sick and her health
deteriorates all because she cannot access the health care that she needs.
I know that I will probably come
across more sad cases when I work in pediatrics as a nurse practitioner. I know
that one of the realities of working in the health field is that not every
patient’s illness can be overcome. That reality has stood out to me more, especially
through my experiences here in Roatan.
My goal as a future nurse practitioner is to
work towards helping bridge the gap in health care discrepancies in underserved
communities not only in the U.S.
