Monthly Archive for May, 2006

After 34 hours of traveling I finally arrived in Newcastle, England and was greeted by the Health Care Manager, Jean Campbell. She was a welcome sight after such a long journey. Jean and I drove straight to the A& P Tyne Dock Yard in Hebburn where the M/V Africa Mercy is currently situated.

The Africa Mercy was certainly a remarkable sight. A huge white ship with the purpose of serving those less fortunate in the nations of Africa.

The ship is still under construction, so before I could board I had to attend an induction safety briefing which took about 45 minutes. I was provided with an identification badge, steel capped boots, safety glasses and a hat so that I could enter the ship and take a look.

I was taken straight to the hospital deck which is very impressive and well structured. My office is large with a conference room added for meetings! There are 6 Operating rooms and a Sterilization Unit along with a CT Scanner, Radiology equipment, a Laboratory, Pharmacy and Recovery Room which will hold 8 patients at a time. On the Port side is the Ward with 65 beds and an Intensive Care unit (5 beds).

It was amazing to see the nearly completed hospital deck and visualize how things will work and where things are placed. This will help me when I come to write the policies and procedures in the next few months.

It has been great to connect with the leadership team for the Africa Mercy. They are very dedicated to the work of Mercy Ships and I look forward to working alongside them in Africa.

During my Stay in Newcastle I had Dr Brian Kirk Visit the ship who is the creator of the Electronic Test System which will be used in the Sterilization Unit. He was most impressed with the ship and offered welcome advice to myself and the Hospital Project Manager who will be installing the Sterilizers and Washer/Disinfectors. Dr Brian will be a great support should I need his advice when in Africa.

I attended the 4th European Operating Room Nurses Congress 2006 in Dublin from the 25th – 28th May. This was a great conference with a scientific programme consisting of interesting presentations provided by colleagues in the Perioperative profession from Europe, Canada, Australia and the United States. Over the four days we had the opportunity of learning about the latest developments on various topics of research and clinically related subjects as well as management and educational issues surrounding patient care.

There was an exhibition hall with various medical companies displaying their products including a Mercy Ships stand which was serviced by Dr John and Iris Rhodes from the UK. I mainly attended the lectures with the occasional visit to the stand to answer some questions from interested Operating Room Nurses who would like to work on the ship.

I have returned to England and will be staying with friends until I make my way to Ghana on the 7th June.

Kylie

The last two weeks in May saw me chained to my desk with research material up to my ears. I am very pleased to see the finished product though: a resource manual with updated practices on manual handling, leading and side walking. NZRDA plans to use it throughout the country for students doing their RDA coach qualification.

NZRDA hosted their very first President’s day on the 27th May in Wellington where representatives from 22 RDA Groups attended and we were all blown away by the material the presenters had to offer. It was also a wonderful opportunity to network with Groups from around the country and the positive vibe was inspiring. I have received invitations from several more groups, invitations now exceeding the number of weeks left this year! I am also grateful for the feedback I received from the Groups about the therapy column, especially how they are using it. This month I researched Spina Bifida upon a request and I hope more requests will follow so that I can meet the Groups needs more effectively.

Back in the groups I have been involved in treatment planning for individual riders, doing more in-service training with volunteers and working with committees to fight some of the fires that have flared up just recently. Working hands on with the riders again has been refreshing and although I seem to be taking on more of a managerial role, this is still where my heart lies.

Cate, Pip and I joined up and presented a Basic Volunteer Course to the Greenhithe volunteers (new and longstanding) last weekend and the feedback was very positive. Most expressed that their highlight was when they got to experience what it is like for our riders with disabilities e.g. riding blindfolded on an obstacle course.

News of a special guest coming to the ribbon day I am organizing for our sport/recreation riders next month has put the wind in our sails and the committee have been working frantically to coordinate the preparations for this event. The event is aimed to be not only an opportunity for the Auckland RDA Groups to cater for their riders with a competitive spirit, but also a team building exercise for the volunteers and especially an opportunity to promote NZRDA and riding therapy to the wider community regionally, nationally and internationally.

Tomorrow the volunteers from Auckland RDA Groups are being treated to a workshop by Robyn Stead, a specialist on Autistic Spectrum Disorders, who is also a RDA volunteer herself and will be able to offer more advice on treating children with autism using riding therapy. A doctor in the USA writes: “I have personally witnessed the wonderful results that are obtained when these children, many of whom have little sense of their own bodies in space, or little contact with the outside world, come into contact with the riding experience. The doctor talks about horsemanship as “unparallel by any other experience” and I couldn’t agree more.