Diabetes Clinic

After 4 straight weeks of extremely intense classes without any breaks, I was starting to lose my mind with the overwhelming amount of material.  So when the chance came to volunteer at a diabetes clinic right in Portsmouth, I jumped on it. I desperately needed to have patient contact to remind me why I am here.  

Diabetes is a major problem here on the island due to the increased super-processed "Westernized" food-(i.e. doritios, chicken nuggets, etc) and because the lifestyle is starting to become more sedentary. This clinic provides invaluable routine care to the known diabetics on this portion of the island.  It checks their blood sugars, checks for edema, and most importantly checks for any ulcers or lesions on their feet.  This allows for early detection of foot problems which hopefully will reduce the need for amputations later in life.

The Diabetes Clinic was definitely an eye-opening experience and really showed me 3rd World medicine.  I will never take the US healthcare system for granted.  When we pulled up the hospital, the first thing I saw was a large open double-door into the main hospital ward.  There were no rooms or beds, just cots with signs overhead saying "Female 1, Male 13, etc).  Walking into the hospital proved to be more of a shock.  The only waiting room consisted of long wooden benches that resembled church pews.  There were already 30 or so people already there at 8am.  We walked to the room we were going to do interviews and I was even MORE surprised!  The room was the hospital's old X-ray room which was approximately 5ft by 7ft, still had the old Xray equipment in it, and had lots of shipping boxes.  There were no patient records kept at the hospital and there certainly weren't any fancy-smanschy electronic records like we are used to. Instead, the patients keep their own records in the marbled composition notebooks that they bring each time they come to see the doctor. (All the patients clutch these notebooks for dear life because they know how important they are. The patients also seemed to be proud of their notebooks.)  We also did not have running water in our exam room because the only running water in the hospital was in the restroom and the doctor's room.

The set-up of the clinic worked so 3 of us students were in the old X-ray room doing the initial interview and blood glucose level, while the other 3 students were in with the Doctor, listening to her patient assessments. It was exciting to work one-on-one with the patients and have them call you Doctor.  I am extremely grateful for all of my EMS experience because not only was I comfortable with the patients but I could do blood pressures, blood glucose levels, and could take a basic history.  After today, I feel rejuvenated and excited again.  So all-in-all, it was a great experience!