Monthly Newsletter- June 2014
Healthcare Project in Korail Slum
Good Heal Trust is pleased to have continued on with its services at its Outreach Program in the Korail Slum of Dhaka. Services continue to be provided at a minimal cost and to patients who need it the most. The team is proud of the fact that this month, we were able to reach the highest number of patients for our Telemedicine Services- Skype Consultancy. In addition to this, we were able to refer a higher number of patients to different hospitals and clinics for further health care.
This month service was given to a total of 541 patients, including regular clinic patients, advanced consultancy services, follow-ups, referral cases and GHT Health camp patients. Nurses provided Over the Counter (OTC) medicine and advice was given to 215 patients. GHT’s Telemedicine Services, consultancy through Skype was provided to 21 patients. This is excellent news as the number of Skype consultancy has been on the rise. The three doctors who provided their services through Skype, were Dr. Aynul Kabir (from the Medicine Department), Dr. Apurbo Kumer Saha (from the Medicine Department) and Dr. Farhana Khatun (from the Gynecology Department).
As for referrals, the team arranged for a total of 74 patients (again, the highest number of referred patients thus far), to visit different hospitals such as BSMMU, Sorwardi Hospital, Dhaka Medical College Hospital (BMCH), Gulshan Seba House, Islamiya Eye Hospital, Society for Assistance to Hearing Impaired Children (SAHIC), BRAC and the GHT Camp. 2 patients were referred to Gulshan Seba House for Advanced Consultancy. Among them, 1 patient took service from Dr. Apurba Kumar Saha (From General Medicine department) and 1 took service for radiology and laboratory tests. The team arranged for its clinical team to give follow up care to 244 patients. As most patients do not come back or look into their health care properly, follow ups are essential and a crucial part of making sure patients are doing the necessary to maintain their health.
Similar to previous sessions, Good Heal Trust presented health awareness sessions twice a week on general health advice to patients of the Korail Slum. Advice pertaining to personal hygiene, family planning, common diseases amongst women, common diseases present in households and many other issues were discussed. Focus Group Discussions (FDGs) were held with 700 people within the slum.
There was only one health camp held this month, on 12th June, 2014. 37 patients were given health services. 26 of them registered as GHT’s newly registered patients and 11 of them were previous patients. The two doctors who provided service at this camp were Dr. Farhana Khatoon [MBBS, FCPS Consultant- Gynecology) and Dr. Apurba Kumar Saha [Medical Officer, MBBS,PGT (Medicine),CCD (BIRDEM)].
In addition to the above, similar to previous cases, special healthcare screening was given for the following: Breast -oral -cervical cancer screening, blood sugar monitoring, health education and diet counseling, pregnancy tests were given for both adults and adolescents and special heath education sessions were held at the slum clinics.
We hope to reach out and provide our services to even more patients in the coming months. It is important for the team to tread on, looking for new ways of providing health care to all those in need but unable to attain it.
Nurses’ Skill Enhancement Program
For the first time in National Heart Foundation’s history, there was a Nurses’ Seminar held in English at National Heart Foundation on 19-June-2014. Doctors and other head administration of the hospital were invited to attend the seminar. A total of 11 Nurses presented PowerPoint Presentations on different areas pertaining to Myocardial Infarction. The topic of the seminar was ‘Myocardial Infarction.’ The Nurses Skill Enhancement Program (NSEP) Faculty felt very proud of the nurses who presented. This was the first time nurses presented in English, that too in front of their colleagues and seniors. This was a great accomplishment for them. There was also media coverage on the seminar. We hope Bangladesh will continue harboring such seminars for nurses in the future.
Regarding the seminar, The Independent wrote: ‘The primary objective of the seminar was to make the nurses get used to participating in scientific seminars and the secondary objective was to convey a message to the hospital administration that by offering continuing education to the nurses, the hospital would have benefited. In both aspects the seminar was very successful, the doctors, nurses, and the hospital administration were intrigued by the scientific presentation of the nurses and the fact that it was in English’ [http://www.theindependentbd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=220098:medinews&catid=176:stethoscope&Itemid=214]
Nursing Classes: Nursing sessions continue to be the core of the program and are conducted twice a week.
The topics covered at Birdem this month include:
a) Insulin: its production, complications of insulin therapy, insulin administration and clinical instructions. Glucagon.
b) Emergency: Diabetic Ketoacidosis and Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Nonketotic Syndrome and its management.
c) Thyroid Disorders: Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism.
d) Adrenal Gland Insufficiency: Addison’s Disease, Addisonian Crisis, and Cushing syndrome.
e) Shock: its definition, types, pathophysilogy, etiology, clinical manifestation, medical, surgical and its nursing management.
f) Intugumentary System: Anatomy and physiology of the Intugumentary System
g) Decubitus Ulcer: its definition, etiology, pathophysiology, common sites for pressure ulcers, visual inspection reveals pressure ulcers, its medical and nursing management.
h) Burns: its definition, causes, classification, calculation of the burned body surface area, rules of nine, Lund Browder Chart, pathophsyiology of burns, phases of injuries and its management.
Activities to note:
– Pre-and post assessment slip test/quizzes were conducted during the classes.
– Practice nursing test was conducted on the respiratory system.
-Practical session was held on ‘Back Care’ to prevent Decubitus Ulcers.
The topics covered at NHF this month include:
a) Inflammatory Heart Diseases: Infective Endocarditis, Pericarditis: their definition, etiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestation, diagnosis, medical, surgical and nursing management
b) Rheumatic Heart Diseases: its definition, etiology, pathophsyiology, clinical manifestation, diagnosis, medical, surgical and nursing management.
c) Valvular Diseases: valvular stenosis, regurgitation, and prolapsed- intra atria valve and semi lunar valve.
d) Shock: its definition, types, pathophysilogy, etiology, clinical manifestation, medical, surgical and its nursing management.
e) Hemodynamic Changes: its definition, invasive and non invasive monitoring, purposes, indication, central venous monitoring, procedure of CVP, interpretation of results, complications management of the central venous line.
Activities to note:
-Journal presentation on: TAVI (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implementation), Diarrhoea and Percutnaeous Coronary Intervention.
-Pre-and post assessment slip test/quizes were conducted during the classes.
– Practice nursing test conducted on CPR.
English Classes: The English sessions keep group works and student centered learning as a top priority. The nurses are encouraged to speak and overcome their weaknesses in spoken English through group presentations. Pair/group works are done in each class based on the topic being taught.
The topics covered in English Classes at Birdem and NHF this month include:
a) Public Speaking- nurses were give practical advice and tips on how to be confident while speaking in public. This was a session aimed to prepare them for the upcoming seminar.
b) Topic Sentences and the usage of connectives/conjunctions- nurses were taught what topic sentences are and their importance while writing. They were also taught the usage of connectives.
c) The Zoo & Usage of ‘too many,’ ‘too much,’ ‘a lot of’ and the difference between ‘small’ and ‘little.’ The nurses looked through a wide range of zoo animals and their names in English in addition to the above grammar works.
d) History & Globalization. Both these terms were presented and discussed. Nurses were shown videos on how globalization is affecting every corner of the Earth. Its positives and negatives were looked at in addition to why history is essential and a part of us as individuals.
Computer Classes: NSEP faculty has received permission from the hospital authority to use the computer lab to conduct practical sessions for the nurses. This month, the nurses were given a practical computer session on surfing the net and doing general research. In addition to this, they are also given assignments in Nursing and English which they are encouraged to type out and submit.
Grooming Classes: Grooming remains as a critical part of Nurses Development in Bangladesh. Nurses are given at-least one grooming class every month.
The topics covered for grooming at Birdem and NHF this month include:
a) Communication- its techniques and importance
b) Stress Management
c) A Grooming Test was conducted to assess how much the students have taken in so far
If interested in working with us or if you simply want to find out more information about what we endeavor to bring to the over-all healthcare system, current/future projects and much more, please visit us at: www.goodhealtrust.org