Flexibility and Creativity

Two ingredients for success on the Africa Mercy are flexibility and creativity. Flexibility is probably obvious when one realizes they will be sharing a cabin with 5 other people. By the way it hasn’t been that bad or maybe I’ve just lucked out with some awesome roommates!

It is impressive how many resources are available to care for patients here in the hospital. We receive multiple shipping containers throughout the field service to keep the hospital supplies stocked. So when there is a delay in the arrival of a container the supplies can become very scarce and rationing begins.

Recently we have been running low on various supplies while awaiting the next container which has increased my gratitude and appreciation for how many resources we do have here.

One item that we have completely run out of is Pediasure/Ensure for tubefeeds! This becomes a problem with the many maxo-facial patients who require tube feeds for the first seven days after surgery! This is when flexibility and creativity become very important.

We are now making our own tubefeeds!! Who would’ve ever thought! Now during my shift I use the blender to whip up some yummy tubefeeds consisting of milk, peanut butter, sugar, fiber, and multivitamins! I never thought making my own tubefeeds would be part of my nursing job description.

Making some yummy tubefeeds!

 

So what happens when all you have is crunchy peanut butter? It is really time to get creative because the crunchy kind clogs the tubing. So thanks to my creative coworker and resourceful charge nurse Deb, she collected a strainer to strain out the chunks after blending the tubefeeds! She also found some chocolate protein shakes for the patients on full liquid diets!

Thanks Deb for finding us some more supplies!

 

One other area of flexibility is after work hours. Since everyone lives in the same place that we work we try to be courteous of people’s time off from work. So what happens when you run out of medicines for patients after hours? Well I walk down to pharmacy and to retrieve the needed medicines from pharmacy!

 

Midnight Pharmacy Run

 

So here aboard the Africa Mercy we do a little bit of everything which keeps the job interesting with problem solving, flexibility, and creativity.