Howdy! Got up ready to roll this morning for the next hospital visit!! It was a bit of a journey to begin with as we somehow managed to find the scenic route and stretch the whole travel thing out to twice as long. The original transportation plan was to take the metro to Plentzia and then either hop on a bus or walk to the hospital. The metro ride went as planned, but the bus seemed to follow the route shown on Google Maps, but we got all turned around in the hills. We circled back at least twice, and at one point the driver just straight-up pulled over and sprinted off for a hot sec—still not sure what that was about. Also, I was sitting in the back, and the speed bumps made it feel more like a low-budget theme park ride than public transportation. This is my formal request to walk everywhere from now on 🙂 After several switchbacks, rolling hills, a herd of sheep, and a brief nap, we finally made it to Hospital Gorliz.
I was so excited because if you know me, you know I love the ocean and my major, so a hospital on the ocean? Literal dream. The views were stunning, and the hospital itself looked like a piece of art, with tons of gardens and nature woven throughout. The staff was super welcoming, and we kicked things off with a presentation about the hospital’s history. Hospital Gorliz originally opened in 1919 as a pediatric rehabilitation hospital. But as the specific pediatric diseases they treated became less common, Osakidetza took over in 1985 and transitioned it into a rehab center for both kids and adults. Now, the hospital has about 144 beds and 5 different units, with roughly 345 staff members. Patients can be in-patient or outpatient and might stay anywhere from a week to several months.
We split into four groups to explore different units. First up was the nursing unit, where most of the beds and patient rooms are. On one floor alone, there are around 30 patients with just 2–3 nurses during the day and about 2 at night. That’s a 15:1 patient-to-nurse ratio—pretty different from the 5:1 we often see in the U.S. But they also have 3–5 nursing assistants helping out with a lot of the more physical tasks like cleaning, straightening, and moving patients, so it balances a bit. Many rooms had ocean views, which helps to boost patient morale. At the nurses’ station, there was this giant whiteboard covered in patient names and magnets showing their schedules, like if someone had physical therapy or needed to see a speech therapist, a magnet would show that. The setup of the unit was pretty similar to U.S. hospitals, though some rooms hold up to four patients, and again, that nurse-to-patient ratio definitely stood out. I think the remote location compared to a city like Pittsburgh might explain some of the differences.
Next, we visited the pediatric wing, which had mini versions of medical equipment like treadmills, walkers, cranes, all colorful and kid-friendly. One thing that really stood out to me was the different types of walkers. Some were designed for posterior support, some for anterior support, and others had varying levels of support depending on the child’s needs. There was also some cool interactive tech, like video game-based physical therapy for kids and teens to keep them engaged. They’re even working on installing a therapy pool, which is awesome since water exercise can be super beneficial by taking pressure off the skeleton.
We also toured the physical therapy gym, where we saw patients actively working with their PTs. Some were walking, others using robotic devices that helped move their legs and measured their gait. One device even had a sliding scale to adjust how much weight was lifted off the patient’s skeleton. There was also a room filled with magnetic and heat therapy equipment, which some patients reportedly find helpful. I even tried out a balance device that rocked rapidly back and forth. It was a weird sensation but it was really interesting to see how it challenged your coordination.
Our last stop was the prototype for the Orka Balance system we learned about yesterday. It was set up in a room that collected detailed data after each patient test. We got to try this one too! The forward and backward motion was manageable for me, but side-to-side was another story. It was amazing to see the design and research behind it all up close. Throughout the day, my group kept talking about how wild it is that all of this care is free in Spain. Meanwhile, in the U.S., even just thinking about a hospital bill can make your bank account cry. Here’s hoping that one day, our team of future engineers and nurses can be part of making a change in that direction.
After we wrapped up at the hospital, we grabbed a delicious lunch and then headed back to the hotel to get ready for the theater. We got to see Saioa perform in one of her choir concerts, which had both instrumental and vocal pieces. They were incredible. The building itself was stunning inside, and hearing everything come together was so cool. My favorite piece would have to be Adios Nonino becuase of the intense beats at the start of the moement. I just thought they felt powereful and I liked the rhythm they held. I also enjoyed how they played it again at the end with the entire orchestra and choir.
We ended the night with another tour de pintxos (I’m afraid I’m obsessed). I seriously cannot wait to learn how to make them in our cooking class tomorrow. I also had a dulce de leche gelato that was absolutely to die for. A little sweet, yes, but hands-down the best gelato I’ve ever had in my life. Got to rest up for another full day tomorrow, catch you next blog!
– Paige Colson
