GHANA - DAY 12

Sixth shift at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, death, frustration, advanced sepsis and BBQ and dancing.

It was quiet when we arrived, but I quickly noticed that the patient with the abscess wound we cleaned yesterday had died and was awaiting collection. It felt like ages before he was taken away.

Stock checking drugs and stocking trolleys led into the drug round and before I knew it there was another dead patient waiting to be picked up by the door!

My next patient was brought in by an off duty doctor, who'd found them by the side of the road unconscious and seizing. He'd put him on a trolley and brought him in. I triaged him and he was definitely seizing and showed signs of advanced sepsis. I struggled to control my frustration at the fact that because there was a period of time where we didn't know who he was, we were unable to treat him. 💸

The nurse and I were trying to convince him to allow us to give paracetamol to help with his 42 degree fever... But because it wasn't part of the emergency package they're allowed to give unknowns, but he did administer diazepam to stop the seizures. I ended up trying to actively cool with wet towels! They did eventually find his id and some money which meant with some organisation and a prescription from the doctor, we started antibiotics about 2 hours after he'd been brought in. But monitoring with one manual bp cuff (because all the electronic ones are now broken) and one pulse ox to go around the whole department was difficult!

I left shift today certain he won't be alive when I arrive in the morning, and a little fatigued.

To cheer myself up, I took a little trip to the mall and sourced more fabric for another outfit from the seamstress 🙂

The BBQ and dancing was awesome tonight and we celebrated Eve's birthday (which is Saturday) and then once we'd all been dancing, we jumped in the pool and had a chill before finishing the day 😊

**Photos taken and shared with permission**Leggi altro