A&E nurses receive stethoscopes
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DPI, Guyana, Monday, June 18, 2018
First and second-year resident nurses at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) have received stethoscopes for their work in the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Unit.
The thirty-four nurses are currently enrolled in the Emergency Nursing Programme offered by the Vanderbilt University, Tennessee in collaboration with the University of Guyana and the GPHC. The nurses, who are undergoing further education while also practising, received the stethoscopes through efforts made by the Tennessee Nurses Association and the Austin Peay State University.
Assistant Professor of the State University, Dr. Shondell Hickson thought it was important to make the step in ensuring that emergency nurses are equipped with such a critical piece of medical equipment used for listening to the action of a person’s heart or breathing.
“The nurses in Guyana can benefit from a stethoscope and this is something that I take for granted. I thought everyone should have one, so I was moved (to make this contribution).” She added, “At first, I thought to myself that I will give just two then I thought I can’t just give two so I decided to rally the faculty and staff of Austin Peay State University and we were able to get the bulk of this.”
Further, Head of the Accident and Emergency Unit of the GPHC, Dr. Zulfikar Bux said that the use of the stethoscope can be key to detecting life-threatening symptoms.
“With your hands, your history taking, your exams and of course your stethoscope, you should be able to have a strong idea of what’s going on with your patients and use those advanced modalities to confirm what you’re thinking.”
He added that in his time of studying medicine, he was taught that the second most important tool apart from a professional’s hands is the stethoscope. “I still take quite a lot of pride in being able to diagnose cardiac conditions with a stethoscope before the guys can actually use the ultrasound.”
By: Delicia Haynes.
Images: Jules Gibson.