Project at the Hospital

So, about a month ago, I decided to start helping out with a project at the regional Cusco hospital.  It was started by an Australian lady who is married to a Peruvian and has lived in Cusco for some years with their family.  The project encompasses looking out for the impoverished in many different ways. This hospital has had a title for years as Cusco's "hospital for the poor" which means there are endless opportunities to help the oppressed who come through the hospital doors. 



Basic nursing station

Many of the patients are from the country and have very little, including the education needed to be informed of available health care, patient rights, available options, and basic self-care while in the hospital.  Although there is an assisted health care program available to Peruvians, many of the people from the country don't know about it until they really need it, and then it's too late.  If you are hospitalised, you can't apply for SIS (Seguro Integral de Salud: comprehensive health insurance) and reap the benefits while there.  And, unfortunately, that's how most of the country people find out about SIS in the first place.

This project is big in advocating for these patients who have little and might otherwise  try to 'escape' the hospital before they have been properly treated, knowing that they won't be able to pay the bill when it comes at the end of their stay (I hear that has happened often).  When they can, they help supply basic medical supplies, such as for patients on the Burns Unit who are required to buy specific, but very expensive, antibacterial supplies.  They also help discreetly educate families who may not have a basic understanding of preventative care, such as, occasionally turning a long-term patient to prevent bedsores, or teaching on basic hygiene and supplying mini hand soaps and antibacterial gels to prevent contamination of wounds.  It must be done discreetly, because some of the staff can get their nose out of joint over us helping "too much".

Being hospitalised here, patients have to provide their own:

• medications (any prescriptions ordered by the Doctor)
• medical supplies (such as bandages or antibacterial sprays or creams) and 
• other basic things needed (see photos below) for the endurance of their stay. 

Nurses come in to do basic check-ups including blood pressures, weight, IV lines, etc.  But, they don't tend to help with feeding, bathing or using the bathroom.  Hopefully there's a family member available to help with these things!



Patients must supply their own: drinking cup, cutlery, comb, towel, sandals, soap, toothbrush and paste, toilet paper;  They must maintain cleanliness in their bed area, collect their garbage in their own plastic bags, and clean the bathrooms after themselves

 Patients must also supply their own shampoo, sleepwear, and thermometer

Little is available for family members, and most from the country can't afford to stay somewhere in town, so they often sleep out in the field above the hospital. Temperatures in Cusco are often close to freezing overnight. There are no bathrooms available outside, and after visiting hours, they must use the field as well for this.

When laundry needs to be done, family members will wash by hand and hang clothes outside the windows on the one side of the hospital that receives the hot sun throughout the day.

Traction set-up on the beds in the Trauma Unit

Rooms are often shared by patients of all ages (on the wards other than Pediatrics).  There are no call-switches to alert nurses.

A basic patient bed

One of the rooms on the pediatrics ward

There are no sources of entertainment (televisions or books) provided by the hospital.  This is one of the areas that I am enjoying being a part of, in bringing entertaining material to the children on the wards that they can borrow for a few hours (toys, games, puzzles, books) or keep to take home (such as crayons and coloring pages, activities, mini booklets).

A couple of weeks ago, we put on a mini-birthday party for a 2-year old on the Burns ward, complete with cake, cookies, hot chocolate (cooled down!), and watermelon.  We dressed up in clown outfits and made balloon animals (I've only learned how to do a dog and a giraffe), and later took the extra food to the children on the other wards along with balloons and mini bible-story booklets for them to keep.

Although it can be a really difficult place to step into, it's worth seeing the smiles on some of the faces of not only the children, but their grateful parents, as well.