When We Come To It

Friday is here, and today we will skip the usual summary and just talk about the ortho ward.

There is no way to prepare a new volunteer for the experience of the acute orthopedic ward. The sensory overload is shocking. The sights, smell, sounds, and even taste is a sensory experience that will never be forgotten. The humankind ability to suffer and to suffer bravely is on display. The lack of space and privacy is immediately noticeable. The ward is full, there are patients in the hallway. There are not enough supplies, sinks, soaps dressings, therapy, crutches, wheelchairs. But the patients make up for the lack of goods with their bravery in the face of suffering. There are no IV pain meds yet there are no screams of pain or complaints. Many patients genuinely smile as you approach, and all are willing to submit to exam and dressing care.

We round daily. – walk to each patient’s bed and discuss their case. Here the lack of true organization begins to show as the medical team scrambles to identify the patients history and diagnosis list. My team has already created a list of patient’s operative needs and X-ray pictures. It is one of the more frustrating aspects of care here – the self-induced inefficiencies. Just simple organization and delegation would create a much more advanced system of care and scheduling.

I do not have the answer – so far no one has a solution. But the sensory experience remains.

Post notes –

We spent an afternoon in the OR. Matt helped to ramrod through a septic knee and got the patient washed out in a truly timely manner. Natalie debridement a significant lis Franc fracture and then got to complete our first true bone case – ORIF of an ankle. She got to experience all the trials of poor equipment in a new environment. I was definitely pleased to watch her take deep breaths and carry on. I think the imaging films speak for themselves!