Home Visits
Door to door in the province of St. Marks...
We left our resort early on Saturday morning to begin the drive to St. Marks province on the northern part of the island of Grenada. This was my first chance to see the scenery of Grenada in the daylight since we had arrived so late the night before. I was astounded by the beauty of this tropical island. The drive was a long one, but I enjoyed seeing Grenada in this up close and personal way. Unfortunately, we did not have access to any bathrooms, and at one point we even had to pull over and ask a woman who was sitting on her porch if we could use her restroom. She said that we could, and I was astounded at how kind she was. She did not ask any questions and was so trusting of us.
Once we finally arrived, we had a quick breakout session where we received paperwork and instructions. We were to go door to door to the homes and conduct vital sign readings including blood pressure and blood glucose, provide teaching on nutrition and medication regimens, and conduct breast examinations.
Hands-on healthcare...
At first I was nervous to be doing breast examinations and blood glucose readings because I felt as if I did not have as much experience in these areas. Fortunately, I had the wonderful Mrs. Hopkins, a well-known matriarch of nursing in Grenada, right by my side. She went with me for my first home visit and guided me along the way. I began to have a lot more confidence, and instead of fumbling around with all the supplies I learned how to lay everything out beforehand and do everything step by step. The people that I interacted with were all enthralled to be receiving medical care. After conversing with many of them, I learned that they had very limited access to healthcare. Some individuals did not even realize that they had high blood sugar or high blood pressure. One man I screened had a blood sugar of over 400 and had no idea he had hyperglycemia. I felt that I was truly making a difference by informing these people about their health status.
The people in the province of St. Marks...
I was so astounded by the welcoming nature of all the people I met this day in St. Marks. In almost every home I visited and conducted health examinations in I was presented with a parting gift. This included a bag of peas, mangoes, and another fruit known as a soursop. By the end of the day, I had a bag full of fruit. After the visits, Dr. Modest welcomed us to her home to have a delicious lunch. The experiences I had on this day opened my eyes to how differently healthcare providers had to conduct their services in Grenada versus the United States. Engaging in home visits is a wonderful practice that I believe should be incorporated more in American healthcare. Seeing the home in which your client resides allows you to see the bigger picture and better understand their health and the circumstances they live in.
