Gonaives, Haiti

Gonaives, Haiti - 3 hours north of Port-au-Prince
lots of rice farms
beautiful mountains
gorgeous scenery

This past week three med interns and I have spent our time doing mobile clinics in varies places around Gonaives, Haiti that typically don't get much aid.  We have 3 Haitian nurses with us and 2 translators.

Each day we have went to a different area and set up our clinics.  The patients start lining up right away.  We've got a system down pact where we have teamed up and can see two patients at a time.  We've saw 125 patients this past week.  There have been a wide range of diagnoses anywhere from vaginal infections, anemia, GI problems, lots of hypertension, down to the basic cold.

Since higher education is very rare here, if you know anything about health care or medication, you're pretty much considered a doctor.  This past week I have seen patients, checked BPs and temps, asked questions, given physical exams, diagnosed, and even written prescriptions ... and to think I haven't even started nursing school yet.

Working in the mobile clinics this past week has made me very eager to get back to the states and start nursing school.  I can't wait to actually learn everything there is to know, especially medication.  I think spending this summer in Haiti is going to make me a better nursing student because I'm so anxious to learn everything I can, so I can be one step closer to moving to Haiti for more long term and help in the clinics.

SMG