crazy working hours
Door: Saskia
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Saskia
11 September 2008 | Gambia, Banjul
Crazy working hours.
Almost one week of working…I’m looking forward for the weekend already. Although we have to start at 8 and done at 14, I feel like I walked the avondvierdaagse. I think I’m not used to work anymore (wat wil je als je 3 weken vrij bent en daarvan 2 weken alleen maar naar het strand gaat of uitjes maakt..) We work very hard. You come in, the doctor is already busy with is rounds. We try to listen what the doctor has to say. But because he talks very soft (or it is my ears what is not good) or talks in Madinka/Wolof. I only understand wauw(yes) and dediet (no). So sometimes we’re just sitting at the table and sometimes listen. It’s also hard to know what the doctor is doing, because in Holland it is very different. Or because I don’t know English medical terms. I see the health care in the Gambia as a kinderspel (a game). It’s just like we practice at school. Nurse students can make an IV (infuus zetten) although they are first years. They just take a needle and try it for several times with the same needle, until they are in the right vene. I already said to renate and marja, that if I’m getting sick they have to be at my bed 24/7, so that a good nurse (not a firstyear!!) can take care of me. The first years are also allowed to give medicine. If you ask what they are giving their patients, they don’t know. Today I helped with the tablets. The first year gave me a whole pill, but it had to be the halve of it. He just said to me to give the whole pill. Gladly one minute later a graduated nurse came and cut it in halve. Otherwise I wouldn’t give it. That’s the same with the IV. The first year put an IV at the patient. I asked him about the speed. And at that moment he thought to put the speed slower. They really don’t know what they are doing. And so I can tell you much more about the care at the ward what is sooo strange and not good, but it will be boring for some people.
Yesterday we went to the diabetic clinic. It was crazy, so busy!!! There were Cuban doctors. The patients are coming for their check up. They check their blood sugar ones a month (!!!), if they want to come. Some people haven’t been there for months. Most people has a hi blood sugar, because they are fasting. Here is the Ramadan right now. Sorry to say, but I really can not see the point of the Ramadan. People who has diabetic are still fasting. Their blood sugar are crazy hi and causes a lot of complication in a long term. Although the doctor explains that they have to eat 3 times a day, regularly, they still will be fasting.
But about the fasting…People at the street are shouting at us that we have to fast, if we eat at the street. Everybody fasts, because (in my opinion) it is a kind of social obligation. I’ve asked it at Sheriff, who is also a Muslim. It seems that if your parents are Muslims, you also have to be a Muslim. If you decide to not be a Muslim, the kans dat je door je familie wordt afgestoten is erg groot. And the reason why they fast, is because they want to know how it feels when you have hungry. So that you know how it feels when you are poor and can’t buy food and drink. That just crazy, when you’re in the Gambia, a poor country…? Also a pregnant women is fasting!!!
So tomorrow we’ve weekend. Then we will be seeing my parents. So that will be beach, sun and hotttt!!!
We’re still doing fine here. Eating well, not sick (renate has a cold, but that’s all), sometimes not sleeping well, but that’s because they get up at 5 am to eat for the sun gets up, and missing the people in Holland!
Almost one week of working…I’m looking forward for the weekend already. Although we have to start at 8 and done at 14, I feel like I walked the avondvierdaagse. I think I’m not used to work anymore (wat wil je als je 3 weken vrij bent en daarvan 2 weken alleen maar naar het strand gaat of uitjes maakt..) We work very hard. You come in, the doctor is already busy with is rounds. We try to listen what the doctor has to say. But because he talks very soft (or it is my ears what is not good) or talks in Madinka/Wolof. I only understand wauw(yes) and dediet (no). So sometimes we’re just sitting at the table and sometimes listen. It’s also hard to know what the doctor is doing, because in Holland it is very different. Or because I don’t know English medical terms. I see the health care in the Gambia as a kinderspel (a game). It’s just like we practice at school. Nurse students can make an IV (infuus zetten) although they are first years. They just take a needle and try it for several times with the same needle, until they are in the right vene. I already said to renate and marja, that if I’m getting sick they have to be at my bed 24/7, so that a good nurse (not a firstyear!!) can take care of me. The first years are also allowed to give medicine. If you ask what they are giving their patients, they don’t know. Today I helped with the tablets. The first year gave me a whole pill, but it had to be the halve of it. He just said to me to give the whole pill. Gladly one minute later a graduated nurse came and cut it in halve. Otherwise I wouldn’t give it. That’s the same with the IV. The first year put an IV at the patient. I asked him about the speed. And at that moment he thought to put the speed slower. They really don’t know what they are doing. And so I can tell you much more about the care at the ward what is sooo strange and not good, but it will be boring for some people.
Yesterday we went to the diabetic clinic. It was crazy, so busy!!! There were Cuban doctors. The patients are coming for their check up. They check their blood sugar ones a month (!!!), if they want to come. Some people haven’t been there for months. Most people has a hi blood sugar, because they are fasting. Here is the Ramadan right now. Sorry to say, but I really can not see the point of the Ramadan. People who has diabetic are still fasting. Their blood sugar are crazy hi and causes a lot of complication in a long term. Although the doctor explains that they have to eat 3 times a day, regularly, they still will be fasting.
But about the fasting…People at the street are shouting at us that we have to fast, if we eat at the street. Everybody fasts, because (in my opinion) it is a kind of social obligation. I’ve asked it at Sheriff, who is also a Muslim. It seems that if your parents are Muslims, you also have to be a Muslim. If you decide to not be a Muslim, the kans dat je door je familie wordt afgestoten is erg groot. And the reason why they fast, is because they want to know how it feels when you have hungry. So that you know how it feels when you are poor and can’t buy food and drink. That just crazy, when you’re in the Gambia, a poor country…? Also a pregnant women is fasting!!!
So tomorrow we’ve weekend. Then we will be seeing my parents. So that will be beach, sun and hotttt!!!
We’re still doing fine here. Eating well, not sick (renate has a cold, but that’s all), sometimes not sleeping well, but that’s because they get up at 5 am to eat for the sun gets up, and missing the people in Holland!
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