Today was so informative. We had such an eventful day as we explored Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital and sat down for a lecture at WAITS(Women Acting in Today’s Society).
This morning we took a taxi to the Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital to meet with a few nurses for a lecture and tour of the establishment. There were four lovely nurses there to provide us with loads of information. One thing that I noticed and found interesting that compared and contrasted to the United States was that the nurses wear different uniforms for each floor or unit. I’m pretty sure that in the States we don’t have separate uniforms and wear the same scrubs no matter the unit. I also asked Michelle, the Cardiac Educator, if they have a program similar to Make A Wish, just out of pure curiosity, and she said yes. She told me most kids ask to go to Disneyland which is ironic because the children in the States also wish to go to Disneyland. It just showed how similar the children really are. The tour of the hospital was quite lovely. The walls were so colorful and very welcoming. They have many windows that open up the units and let in much needed sunlight. The units in the States are colorful as well, but it felt like the hospital here put more time and effort into making the patients feel as comfortable as possible. We were told that the heart and liver are the two most common organ issues in the children’s hospital. This is good knowledge to know because that allowed me to observe more of the treatment they provided to their patients and understand why they do what they do.
We toured the schooling portion of the hospital for patients between the ages of two and sixteen. They offer in-person and online schooling for patients in the hospital for long periods. I know American children’s hospitals have schools as well, but I think it’s sweet that they offer this service. They said they typically provide education until secondary school, which is age sixteen, but sometimes they will provide higher education for students who are a bit older.
When asked about diversity, the nurses told us that they never turn patients away and welcome everyone. They don’t question their patients when they are told how or why they cannot afford treatment. Families have told these nurses that they’ll go to London for treatment and be turned away, but they know Birmingham would offer their hand out.
Some of us asked Michelle and the other nurses how they deal with stress and burnout since this field is not one to be messed with. She told us that she tries to remember that she’s making a difference and she’s helping people recover which is rewarding to her. I feel like this is such a positive and beautiful way to look at these issues. It’s true, too. Nurses are here to provide their service and help patients and their well-being. Michelle motivated me to keep going when it gets rough and to remember that it’ll all be worth it in the end and I’ll have a future of being someone that saves lives.
Returning to the differences and similarities of the hospitals, one major difference is that in the United Kingdom, hospitals still chart on paper, while in the United States, everything is electronic. Michelle said that her hospital is moving to EHRs in the Spring of 2025, which should be a big chance for the staff and hopefully make their job a little bit easier for them.
I loved being at the children’s hospital, especially since I want to be a Pediatric Nurse. I didn’t realize how sad the environment is, though. We toured through the oncology unit and although the kids looked busy with all their toys and colorful walls surrounding them, I couldn’t help but look at the parents sitting behind them trying not to cry. I think this field is going to be a challenge but I’m willing to do everything I can to help at least one child. This is my passion and I never want to see a parent losing hope on their child’s health condition.
After the hospital, we went to the WAITS building to meet with the CEO, Marcia, and the coordinator, Claudia. I believe WAITS is fully women ran and they deal with issues regarding the abuse of women. We did a few activities to test our knowledge of domestic abuse and what different definitions and levels of abuse mean. One thing that stuck with me was that men who claim to love you are more likely to abuse you than strangers are. I found this interesting because it’s not always true but it definitely could be. The lectures on domestic abuse were fascinating and very informative. Domestic abuse is different for every woman but it was interesting to see the typical stereotypes of what people think abuse looks like.
At the end of the day, today was informative and I’m glad we were given the opportunity to speak to all of these wonderful women.
