Comments on: An American Nurse in a Ugandan Hospital

By: Jen Manginelli

Jen Manginelli — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 17:59:39 +0000

Great post! I know it’s more than a few years old, but in this stressful time of COVID-19, and living in Uganda, this American nurse stumbled upon your experience and laughed out loud. Every word is true. Note: I am no longer working as an RN. I left the field to mentor and care for vulnerable teenage girls. I have 17. I am hoping to start a maternal child rescue ministry. Blessings to you!

By: Rachel Jones

Rachel Jones — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 08:18:22 +0000

In reply to Cherie Clark. wow that must have been an interesting experience in india. Good luck in Uganda, it's a beautiful country.

By: Cherie Clark

Cherie Clark — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 19:35:57 +0000

Great article, I lived in India for 12 years and ran an intensive care unit for babies. I am now on my way to Lira, Uganda to work with the Peace Corps for a year and to teach nursing so looking for anything that will give me a better idea what to expect. So glad I came across your website! I am an RN as well with a Master’s in Nursing education so will be teaching at a small and relatively new University. So happy to have come across your blog! Best of luck in your adventures.

By: Hannah b

Hannah b — Mon, 19 May 2014 02:14:44 +0000

This is so interesting, I’ve always fancied working abroad (I’m psych though, not general) but don’t know how I’d cope emotionally with the differences in some cultures- not being able to help those desperately in need etc. x

By: Rachel Jones

Rachel Jones — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 08:32:52 +0000

In reply to Daniel. I'm glad the post resonated with you. As a Ugandan, it's great to hear from you that what I experienced is the way it really works there. Good luck with your studies!

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 05:21:38 +0000

Well am a Ugandan reading for bachelor s degree in US. I did volunteer in Ugandan hospitals before college and agree with all you say. Actually it was the other way round for me when I started My clinicals,getting used to the American way of providing health care. I lived your article word for word.

By: Nadja

Nadja — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 07:31:21 +0000

In reply to Rachel Jones. I work for a nurse agency, so I work in different hospitals and the money is pretty good (much better than in Germany). Most of the time there are about 7 patients per nurse, in Germany it's sometimes more than 10. I like it more than in Germany!

By: Rachel Jones

Rachel Jones — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 06:16:14 +0000

In reply to Chrissy. I'd love to live in Africa!

By: Rachel Jones

Rachel Jones — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 06:13:16 +0000

In reply to Nadja. Do you like working in Aus? I've thought about it- I've heard it's not too difficult to get a work visa and the hospital will set you up with one? Volunteering is great except that deep down I knew I wasn't making any changes for them- even with things they were doing wrong.. one little american girl telling them "No" isn't going to make a difference .

By: Chrissy

Chrissy — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 23:19:37 +0000

Wow, I totally know what you wrote about in your post. I was volunteering at a small health centre in Gambia for two months in 2012 and I had pretty much the same experience. It was one of the best two months I ever had and definitly wanna go back to Africa to live/volunteer.

By: Nadja

Nadja — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 08:09:25 +0000

Awesome Post! I’m a german nurse and I’m currently working in Australia. I think it’s so interesting to see how different the healthcare systems and the work of nurses in the different countries work. I’d love to volunteer one day as well! You learn so much working in a different country!

By: Rachel Jones

Rachel Jones — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 09:05:51 +0000

In reply to Em. A god send they are!!

By: Rachel Jones

Rachel Jones — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 09:05:37 +0000

In reply to Colleen Brynn. I was just telling Alex from Alex in Wanderland that I haven't wanted to post my voluntourism post b/c it's a little harsh sounding right now and opinionated. Maybe in a few months haha I'll put it up. Hope you make it down to Goa, I've just e-mailed you

By: Em

Em — Sat, 15 Mar 2014 12:32:36 +0000

Amazing post Rachel, thankyou for sharing your experiences! What a heart moving post, so much love for the nurses who are putting their heart and soul into caring their patients with a lack of equipment, they are a true god send to those they are treating.
x

By: Colleen Brynn

Colleen Brynn — Sat, 15 Mar 2014 07:59:48 +0000

Oh yes… thank you for writing this. Having been in India for two weeks now, I have come to my own conclusions and understanding not only about volunteering abroad (voluntourism) but also charity as a whole. I’m so glad I am experiencing this side of life and I feel like I can relate to a lot of what you say in this, even though you are talking about a different country altogether. I have a hard time with the hitting – there is lots of it here! The teachers hit the kids, and the kids hit each other. I don’t allow it in my classes, but I know I won’t stop it. They also don’t have great medical supplies here. There are a couple of nurses volunteering here for a month, and most of what they have is shipped from Canada. I brought a whole suitcase with me for them – 50 pounds of clothing, books, medical supplies and vitamins. They make do with what they have, and sometimes it’s not very good, but there is no other choice. I am eager to read what you have to say about voluntourism as I have my own opinions about it! This organization I am with requires a minimum of 2 months to volunteer here except in special cases (like the nurses) and I have paid my own way here. So it sounds like we are on the same page. There is a lot of garbage volunteering out there that does not get the dollar or the energy to the right hands.

By: Rachel Jones

Rachel Jones — Sat, 15 Mar 2014 06:51:09 +0000

In reply to J in Beijing. Wow, I'm so surprised you guys are loving this post. I honestly thought it would fall on dead ears because it's so specific to nursing. I'm glad you enjoyed reading it. It really was an awesome experience.

By: J in Beijing

J in Beijing — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 10:21:07 +0000

Rachel this was such an interesting post! I could have read on and on. I think I’ll actually go back and read it again. It’s so fascinating to hear about the differences in the hospitals, medical care, facilities etc. It must have been so hard to experience things that you have been trained to do, not being done (or things you’ve been trained not to do, being done!). But what a fascinating experience.

By: Rachel Jones

Rachel Jones — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 06:24:43 +0000

In reply to Rick. Nursing seems like an eternity ago- I went to school for 4 years & worked on & off for 1.5 before quitting entirely, but I've just realized I'll be 25 this summer. Time is flying by!

By: Rachel Jones

Rachel Jones — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 06:22:33 +0000

In reply to Rika | Cubicle Throwdown. It was a shock for sure, but really prepped me for what it was going to be like being a patient in India. Like I told Alex in a comment below, I went in for an infected toe nail that'd been stepped on and before I could agree or ask questions the MD took pliers & ripped it off like BAM. and I fucking FLIPPED out!! It was the most painful thing that's ever happened and he laughed like it was just another great morning in the office. There's no signing "consent forms" and going over past medical history, etc... if that were the state the MD would have been fired and sued until he was broke by someone I'm sure.

By: Rachel Jones

Rachel Jones — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 06:17:39 +0000

In reply to Alex @ ifs ands & butts. It was an eye-opener & actually prepared me for being a patient in India which is far far worse.. Maybe I'll do a write up of the time I told the MD my toe nail was infected and before I could agree he RIPPED THE WHOLE BIG NAIL OFF. like I almost punched a nurse. Even now thinking about it is hell. I could have killed the man.