ICU Updates

Good news!  Our ICU received a Recognition and Appreciation Certificate from the administration for a remarkable performance in 2016. What a rewarding feeling to be part of the cardiac center ICU as a Lay Mission-Helper! This was announced to us during our recent ICU meeting. We will have a group picture when most of us are more or less around as there are nurses who are on their annual leave.

The sad news is our very first patient who had open heart surgery last January and recovered miraculously in ICU passed away about three weeks after his transfer to the post-surgical ward. This was due to complications. At least I have witnessed the miracle of God’s work on a patient in ICU who the doctors thought there is nothing that can be done for him to live. Practically all of us who took care of him in ICU had a feeling of satisfaction and enthusiasm every time we came to work. (patient had a history of HIV)

We are working this month with a short-term anesthesiologist from Italy who is  assisting our local cardiac surgeon in operating on adult cardiac cases. Our future pediatric mission operation will be in June 2017.

During our ICU meeting one of the topics we discussed was about bedsores prevention and I was able to share my experience about it. I am finding out more information about the current approach in preventing its occurrence to bedridden patients from my former colleagues at Kaiser. Sr. Honorine, my supervisor in ICU, requested to find out the type of medical equipment that is being used now in California hospitals in preventing bedsores so she knows what to order here in Cameroon.