Day 21

University was pretty normal today. We had our Khmer lessons as usual and did some preparation work for the second month in the laboratory class. We practised writing problem statements and identifying needs. In the hospital, we will be interviewing staff to find out, how we can create the biggest positive difference using our technical skills. For some hospitals it might be fixing certain machines that are used a lot, in others it might be finding an alternative lighting method for hospital rooms. For finding out how we can help, we first need to identify what the hospital staff actually needs. Sounds easy, but it isn’t. Language barriers and cultural barriers might make this harder than it sounds.

After University my homestay group visited a hospital. Our homestay sister invited us to visit the hospital where she works. She is studying at University 3 days a week and spends the other 2 days working as a nurse. The hospital was very big, bigger than I imagined it to be. She showed us around a bit and we were allowed to talk to some patients. The hospital has different rooms for the patients. In one of the rooms, there were 22 beds with patients inside. This room was for poor people that couldn’t afford a more private room. The other rooms all cost a daily fee of up to 10$ a day. There were rooms with 4 beds and 2 beds. Sometimes, a whole 2 bed room would even be taken by only one person. What I noticed right away was than not only the patient was in the room but also a few family members that seemed to stay with the patient the whole time. In Australia, patients are only allowed to have visitor during visiting hours. Here, family members stay with them day and night for the whole hospital stay.

Thehospital department we were visiting.

I was standing on the third floor of the builing looking down on the rest of the hospital. All the builidings in this picture are part of the hospital.

This is out homestay sister. She is recording all the patients that come in, their conditions and their treatment plan. She also goes around and looks after the patients.

This is a surgery room. It is not in the ICU . Hence it is not equiped to treat critical injuries.