Reflection
My time in Grenada was one of intense learning and reflection on the privileged life that we grow accustomed to living in the United States. On my return home and in resuming my normal clinicals, I found myself oddly being more conservative with a lot of the medical supplies I used including gloves and wipes. Before experiencing healthcare in Grenada and becoming aware of just how devastating a shortage in these vital supplies could be, I never thought about changing my gloves a hundred times per day. During my time shadowing in the hospital, I even helped sanitize syringes and bottles to be reused to feed small babies. Reusing supplies such as these would never even be considered in our healthcare system.
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All of my questions were answered about the differences in nursing in Grenada versus in the United States. It seems that many of the nurses in Grenada were revered much as nurses are trusted and appreciated here in the United States. There were some differences in the scope of care for nurses in Grenada, but for the most part the job consisted of the same basic principles. For example, in the pediatrics unit nurses did not insert IVs or nasogastric tubes in the small children, only doctors performed this procedure.
The people I met in Grenada will truly be remembered forever. I still think about Mrs. Hopkins almost every day because I look up to her so much. She was inspiring to say the least, and still continues to provide nursing care even though she is in her 80s. As we would drive down the streets, passerbys would yell "Mrs. Hopkins! Hello!" recognizing her sitting in the front seat of our bus as she dozed during our long drives.
Our driver, Trevor, was also truly remarkable. He knew the streets of Grenada like the back of his hand and often spent hours waiting for us while we engaged in our various activities. He took the time to stop and teach us about the culture of Grenada - anything from explaining how nutmeg is harvested to recounting past devastating events such as Hurricane Ivan.
We could not have had such an amazing excursion without these amazing people to guide us on our way.
On the final evening, Mrs. Hopkins prepared a delicious meal for us at her home and gave everyone a parting gift including Grenadian spices and a beautiful tapestry. My heart was so full that evening, and I knew that I would one day return to Grenada to visit all of my new friends again.
