Blog 2 by Katie Mayers

Blog 2                                                                                                                       

Our first week here in Panama, we had clinical at the Salo de Montegreo. This was a very enjoyable yet interesting experience. I spent my first two days checking blood pressures and doing pap smears in the gynecology room. This was exciting as I had never done a pap smear before. My last day at the clinic, I had the opportunity to give 25 IM  injections. Person after person would just walk into the injection room and then walk out. It was a great day, however, I was slightly surprised in the sanitation. Nurses do not wash their hands before/after giving injections or wear gloves. This was very weird for me as I am so used to wearing gloves and washing hands in between patients. I was also surprised at how people were sitting in the “waiting room” with no AC and a stray dog would just walk into the clinic at times. I learned that this was a clinic for more underprivileged people who did not have insurance or a social security number.

Our second week here, I went to the Social Security hospital. I spent my first day in the OR, observing a kidney surgery. I was very impressed with the technology in the OR and the sanitation. They prepped/sterilized with Iodine the area of the patient that they were going to operate on and had modern technology. My second day I was in the ER. This was a great experience as I got to give four IV’s. However I was surprised to find that the nurses did not use gloves and just cleaned the area with water.  Overall though, I had a great experience at the hospital and was happy with the opportunities that I was given.