The beginning of Goodbye

This is my last week in Litein so I am starting to say my goodbyes to all the friends I have met.

Tuesday I provide more new born baby resuscitation training. The first time I was based in the newborn unit/labour and delivery. This time I did sessions within the OR to cover the babies born via C/S.

Wednesday morning, I have the opportunity to lead a small group bible study.

Bible Study

Later that afternoon I meet with the medical director and hospital director to discuss what I have observed here at Litein. They are both very friendly and have open door policies. It is great to see them relating so closely with their staff. In fact, the residents break room was taken over by a team of community workers doing a week long project, so the medical students and residents now have tea in the medical directors office. For the meetings I was asked me to write up a list of suggestions for the hospital and discuss future changes for Litein. In preparing for the meeting it is fun to reflect on all my experiences over the past month. It is a great pleasure meeting with the directors and they are very open and engage in great dialogue. We come up with goals for new strategies that are free/cheap to implement. Some of the issues I observe here are certainly not unique to this hospital but larger universal issues we experience around the world (hand hygiene, staff apathy, teamwork, communication).

Staff meeting

Thursday is the last staff meeting I attend, so I give a short speech and say goodbye to the Litein hospital staff.

ICU mech vent training sessions

Thursday afternoon we continue our staff education sessions on mechanical ventilation. This time I am able to get the anaesthesia nurses to join us. Having them part of the ICU is essential as they bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to assist the ICU team in ventilating challenging patients.

Friday, I return to the OR to apply the theory we had discussed theoretically the previous day. This is great to reinforce understanding. Even though everyone speaks English there are still barriers in understanding when in comes to challenging concepts so getting this hands on practice is essential.




I know I have already mentioned it, but everyone at the hospital is extremely friendly. Family members greet the families of other patient's upon entering a room.  There is a family in ICU this week with a sick little one. This morning when I came into work she waved me over to the bedside. I thought she wanted to ask me a questions about her baby but she actually just wants to touch my hair. She spends 2 minutes patting my head and running her fingers through my hair. It was quite comical. My hair looks and feels very different than their hair so this has not been the first time people want to feel my hair.

Goodbye to the security team