On Wednesdays, we walk, but if this was mean girls, we would wear pink. Today I took fifteen thousand steps, but it feels like a million. My legs are starting to burn, my feet are sore, and I am cramping! Although I would love to live freely like mean girls, we had a very long and eventful day today. I did not expect the trip to be like this, but the itinerary is full of busy things that require a lot of energy. Sleep is very important on this trip because if you do not sleep, you will not be able to take a nap or recharge for the intense routine you are about to experience. The events that were chosen are good, some are not meant for me, but others really impact my perspective on the medical field.
Visiting Birmingham Children’s Hospital was very informative. Actually experiencing the difference in the medical systems made me realize how much work needs to be put into America’s medical system. The rooms they have for children in oncology are very welcoming and promote a quiet and fun space for health improvement. The United Kingdom does something known as a preceptorship, which is a transition that guides and supports students who are newly qualified practitioners and transitioning into an autonomous professional. A preceptorship allows nursing student to further improve their practice, which is very effective when it comes to treating patients of all kinds. The United Kingdom prepares its students for the medical field early, and that increases the quality of care and treatment of patients.
When we speak about racial disparity and bias within the medical field, there is a significant difference between the United Kingdom and the United States. The United Kingdom does not have a lot of negative bias, because they consider all outcomes when caring for patients of all colors. The United States medical field is filled with an insane amount of discrimination which impacts the foundation of the medical system. In the US, medical workers tend to let their bias get in the way of the quality of care of patients. Usually, minorities do not trust medical facilities because of the history of unethical practices done to these groups of people of color. They tend to mistreat and misdiagnose people of color because they do not take the same intense educational courses about diversity, equality, and inclusion. Yes, we have classes, but they do not fully touch base on how to correct it and how it affects the patient. Various people can use a class on diversity because the things you say unintentionally, the attitude and tone towards a patient, and even the way you act can demonstrate an individual’s racial bias against other ethnicities and cultures. I appreciate the time and effort the United Kingdom puts into making sure their students understand the concept of cultural appropriation and equality among all ethnicities and cultures.
The attire that the nurses in the United Kingdom choose is another big difference. In the United States, doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals are required to wear scrubs, but in the United Kingdom, you see them wearing skirts, dresses, or even full-on pants. Given that the United Kingdom comes off as more professional than the United States, it was mind-blowing to see the difference in workwear. Skirts and dresses would not be appropriate in a medical environment in the United States, but in the United Kingdom, it is the norm.
Nurses can not prescribe drugs to patients in the United States. Doctors, physicians, dentists, and other advanced practice providers are the only people who can prescribe a patient drugs. In the United Kingdom, some nurses are allowed to prescribe drugs, but not all. They choose nurses who are confident in their education on how to treat an individual. If the nurse does not have the experience of handling medication, then they can not be responsible for prescribing medication to patients. I find that very astonishing because, in the United States, a nurse can get in big trouble for doing that. The education system in the United Kingdom is very different than the United States, and that is showcased through how both countries put their trust in certain medical professionals.
Nurses take babies to a room, with a big glass window to make sure they are healthy before they release them in the United States. In the United Kingdom, the babies are put with their parents right after birth, and neither the parents of the child stays in the hospital for longer than a day unless their is complications. That is surprising because I would not be able to get right up and walk out with my child after birth, since it is such a traumatic but beautiful experience.
It is okay that I could not wear pink today and had to walk, but I like the mean girls version way better.