SORAYA P. ABUBAKAR, M.D.
Training and Research Officer Zamboanga City medical Center
Thru: MISMEN C. FELICES, R.N. Supervising Nurse Nurse Training Coordinator Zamboanga City Medical Center date
Dear Madam, The 4 months volunteer training in this institution from e!tember to "anuary hel!s me a lot to develo! my s#ills, #no$ledge in my areas and $or# as a !rofessional% i admit that before having my volunteer training in $ard &, ' only had a little e(!erience in !erforming nurse)s roles and functions% *hen ' got in this institution it)s an o!!ortunity to gain and develo! s#ill and #no$ledge in demanding tas# of nursing !rofession% ' can say that being a volunteer nurse in $ard & is more challengeable than the other $ard $herein aside of the number of !atient, it is also a $ard $here you $ill encounter different illnesses and diseases% +efore having our formal duty in $ard & ,-ediatric $ard., $e had our orientation first and $e $ere oriented also by the staff on the !hysical set u! of the $ard, the different units $here !atients $ere !laced according to the !atient/s condition as $ell as the !olicies and standard o!erating !rocedures% i $as able to give direct nursing care in accordance to the !atient needs $ith the under su!ervision of the staff% Then until ' can managed to !erform the tas# efficiently% There $ere times that the admission $as #e!t on coming and the $ard $as running out of beds% ometimes admissions $ere greater than discharge that is $hy sometimes !atient $ere !laced on cot beds and sometimes on the long chair and tables or $orst the !atient have to share his0her bed to other !atient% There)s indeed an obvious lac# of man!o$er in the $ard $here nurse to !atient ratio ,1 volunteer nurses to a census of 21 !atient and above. and it is im!ortant not to delay the demands and nursing needs of the !atient most s!ecially to !atient in 'C3 $ere everything should be done on time and $ithout delay% *e volunteer hel! each other to overcome this !roblem% *ith the very obvious lac# of man!o$er in the $ard, $e couldn)t stay long on bedside to give the !atient)s emotional and s!iritual needs and the need of further health teaching for the $elfare and !rom!t recovery of the !atient% *e strive to attend all the needs of the !atient and ma#e them comfortable as !ossible during their hos!itali4ation% +efore the !revious shift ends, $e 5oin the endorsement to be informed of the s!ecial conditions of each !atient% *e usually do in our shift $as to ta#e vital signs to the !atient, asses their condition and identify the !atient nursing needs% Through !ro!er assessment $e can easily carry out nursing measures $hich !atient to be !rioriti4ed and $e carry out legal doctor)s order efficiently% 6ssessment !lays a vital role because any unto$ard events to the !atient $e have to refer it immediately for !rom!t care and also it $ill hel! the !hysicians for their
diagnostic and thera!eutic !rocedures% One of ' am can be !roud of having in $ard & $as that you)ll become e(!ert in calculating drug dosage% *e $ere allo$ed to give medication unless under the su!ervision of the staff nurse% There $ere circumstances that $e $ere the one $ho $ill !rovide the medication of the child as long as $e had a stoc# on hand because there $ere times family can)t afford to buy some medicine7 the $orst $as during emergency cases% 't)s sad loo#ing those families $anting for survival of their child but can)t sustain the needs of the child even though they have already a discount from the !harmacy% That)s $hy sometimes they $ere forces to sign for discharge against medical advice or $orst they 5ust $ait $hen the time of the child to e(!ire%
