Get To Work!

Yesterday I started work in the outpatient clinic at FAME. The morning on Monday started with a very formal all team meeting to review patients admitted to hospital and what transpired. Sadly, they had had 2 deaths that night.

I was mostly observing yesterday, learning how to use their electronic medical records ( good but not great, yet I am still impressed they have it) and learning the flow in triage, which is mostly vital signs and chief complaint. Mostly I spent the day inputting vitals in the electronic record, but near they end they let me do some patients alone. I am trying to be respectful of their roles, not get in their way and offer a bit of help. Monday in Triage was very busy.

Siana is the supervisor of the Outpatient Department and the ER. She is a lovely, warm and welcoming woman. The whole FAME medical team is very gracious and welcoming… that is the word they used when they greet you for the first time… ” Jambo( hello) you are welcome” Siana will be my supervisor for this three weeks.

Working in triage you see all the patients that come to the outpatient department other than those in Emergency room and maternity.

Many of the patients that come to FAME are Maasi people. They are a very proud, quiet tribe of people who both like to keep their ways but embrace new culture also. So, you will see a maasi man in traditional male maasi garb of red and black then wearing a suit coat and sneakers carrying a cell phone. They have wonderful jewelry, both men and women!

Today I got to help in the emergency room a bit and see more of how things work. The ER is currently directed by “Dr Amanda, who along with her husband,Peter, ( they have 2 kids Oliver 4 and Astrid 1.59) came here from Australia 3 years ago… she’s a “wealth of knowledge about how things work here. I got to see how they managed a woman having a severe gallbladder attack.