Week 1 of Clinicals = completed

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Completed week one of my clinicals - wow time flies!



I am really fortunate to have had this opportunity and I am learning so much, more than I could have possible imagined. As much as we complain about our healthcare system in the US, we have it pretty good, as do our health care workers...



In general, a lot of the things we have are luxuries (even if we don't consider them so). For example, in Villavicencio, the temperature hangs out around 80-90 degrees on a regular basis, maybe dropping down into the mid 70s when it's "cold" That being said, most houses, apartments, grocery stores, shops don't have air conditioning. Yes, you sweat a lot and it's hot and you basically exist with a layer of sweat no matter how many cold showers you take during the day, but if you have a fan, it's really okay. Additionally, hot water, as I have mentioned, is not really a common thing here. The first cold shower you take is the hardest, but after that, you wouldn't even consider turning it on. While these things certainly make life a little more comfortable, they are luxuries that the majority of the world doesn't have.



Returning to the theme of health care, patients - or their families - need to supply everything during their stay: wipes, diapers, toilet paper, water (there isn't really any clean water system here, ie no water fountains), pillows, blankets, clothing (they don't have hospital gowns, patients hang around in diapers and cover up with blankets). In some hospitals, the families have to go out and buy the medications the patient needs. Imagine that! The only places in the hospital with air conditioning are the ICU, intermediate care and some of the waiting rooms - and the waiting rooms are constantly full of people. You literally have to wait at least one month for an appointment to see any doctor.



While in our hospitals, the majority of orthopedic patients are people having joint replacement surgeries, here most of them are from MVAs (see my previous posts on driving here). I haven't seen a single joint replacement surgery. They do not supply patients with walkers or canes. They have transport wheelchairs but if the patient needs one but doesn't have a way to get one, too bad, no wheelchair for them. The don't have gait belts, they don't have grippy socks (no grippy socks!!!) the walls don't have rails and in many of the rooms, there are multiple beds, including the ICU (they have those retractable walls, ya know?). The healthcare system there just doesn't have the money for those kinds of things.



When I first got into the clinic, I was shocked to find out these things, but, in reality, it's really not that bad. The hospital functions well and the patients and their families know their obligations. Everyone (so far) is grateful for the services they receive and no one (so far) has complained. The people here don't feel entitled to everything like the people in the US and understand that they play a certain part in the recovery and well-being of their loved one. It's a completely different culture here, in so many ways, but especially in respect to health care. I'm not saying the US should do away with all of the supplies and tools etc, but it might consider cutting down on healthcare costs and it should definitely make you think twice before complaining about your hospital stay.



I know it's not a perfect system here (and of course this is a small(ish) city and bigger cities have nicer and more fully equipped facilities), and it's far from perfect in the US as well, but we could definitely take a leaf from the Colombians' book and be a little more grateful for what we do have. If anything, it makes us as therapists (in my opinion) better and more complete workers when we don't have all the resources and have to make do with what we've got.

Ok, I promise the next blog will have pictures and less health-care related themes! Til next time!

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