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Showing posts from August, 2012

2+2 : A tale of two hospitals and two orphans

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to practice nursing 50 years ago? You know, back when they calculated IV drop rates using a wrist watch, and back when all the nurses still wore white caps. Come to Peru, and work with me at Goyeneche Hospital and you can experience all of those things for yourself. I remember in nursing school when Dr. Otten used to say things like, "In the olden days we did this..." and we all would roll our eyes. But here, today is a day of old. What is an alaris pump? How does a computerized charting system work? Imagine trying to explain these things to nurses who have never used them. That is what happens every time one of the nurses asks me how nursing is different in the States. Don't even get me started on the patient to nurse ratio (in some places it's one nurse to an entire floor). And yes, I did learn how to calculate drip rates using a wrist watch. But no, I will never wear one of those white caps. Aside from technology, t