VCU School of Nursing Blog

Today was our first day visiting the local hospitals. We are going to all eventually visit 3 public hospitals and 1 private one. My experience was supposed to be at Livingstone Hospital which is the busiest of the public hospitals and whenever I mentioned that I was going there everyone said, "Oh my, it will be quite an experience." I guess it was not supposed to happen for me. My student did not report to her rotation today so only Mica got to stay at that hospital. I heard her say they are very busy there.

I actually went to Provincial Hospital. This is where thoracic, cardiac, ENT, and eye surgeries are performed. There used to provide more services, but since the political changes there has been some relocating of services to other hospitals so that now difference services are offered at different hospitals. Becca & I were assigned to the ENT wing. There we met up with 2 NMMU nursing students that were absolutely excited to show us around the hospital, discuss our needs, etc.
We visited the theatre (OR), recovery (PACU), where they clean and sterilize the equipment (Central Sterile), intensive care, & Oncology.
The general wards hold 6-8 patients in non-electric beds. Each bed is separated by curtains. Suction & Ambu bag are present in each room, BP done with dinomapp type equipment, thermometers are glass. Even though, all the equipment is old (I guess about 25-30 years outdated by my US experience), the routine is the same. Preop check consists of reviewing VS, labs, consent, pre-op meds, etc.
The ICU was 6 beds, equipment somewhat more up to date. The ventilators were a brand I was not familiar with, but appeared to have most of the same bells and whistles. However, I did not see any in-line suction equipment. (Will have to ask more questions to the students). The thing that impressed me the most was the charting. There is a table at the end of each bed with a charting sheet THE WIDTH OF THE FOOT OF THE BED. This sheet is broken into sections just like our (I&O, IV solutions, VS, Assessment, etc). I guess they fold it up much like a road map to fit it into the chart. Each hospital has an ICU so there are no special ICUs. Neonatals are at another hospital. There is a code cart on the general floors and in ICU, but the drug supply is definitely not like ours.
Surgery packs are cleaned in one area, put together, sent across the hall and autoclaved. This hospital has received new anesthesia equipment last year and is going to receive more. We did get the see their cell savor and pump perfusion equipment. It was explained that once a year they have eye surgery clinic. All surgeons are asked to clear their schedule so that the eye doctors can remove cataracts for this particular week. About 300 cases are done. Two patients are in the OR suite so that when the surgeon is finished doing one, he can turn around, re-gown & glove and start another case while the first one is being taken out. This way they can get to 300 patients. These cases are done under local anesthesia.
All and all, while the equipment is outdated, and I feel like I am stepping back in time, the nursing care is comparable. There are "house recertifications" yearly (like our CPR recert, etc.) and competencies that must be addressed – Elayne

Posted by at 11:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Posted by at 11:45 AM | Permalink

Back from a weekend in Tsitsikamma. It was very cold and very fast paced. A few brave souls went bungee jumping. I have been asked to withhold their names until the next of kin have been notified about the jump. The good news is that they all survived and thrived!

On Sunday the group went on a zip line tour of the gorge and waterfalls.

Back early Sunday evening in time to rest for hospital visits on Monday morning.
--Martha

Posted by at 11:43 AM | Permalink

Posted by at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

24-7-07 – We had our orientation to the nursing program here at the University. It is amazing to me the amount of schooling the students must go through in order to become what we consider a registered nurse. They must complete 4,500 hours of clinical time over the course of four years. When they graduate they are also trained as a midwife. For myself I may have considered a different profession if I was in Africa.

25-7-07 – Our first day in a public primary care clinic. First of all it was quite an adventure just getting to the place. Apparently here they give directions much different than the US (not as easy to map quest every thing). I was able to observe a nurse; here they are referred to as sisters. They function almost identical to the role of a nurse practitioner in the states. One gentleman we saw was #91 in line, he told me he had arrived at the clinic that morning at 6am, and we were seeing him at 12 noon. Amazing isn’t it? All of the clinics the group observed were public, meaning that they are all free, even the medications. The clinics made me think of what it may have been like to do nursing 20 years ago. There are no modern conveniences or resources available like nurses are used to today.

26-7-07 – Today we went into the community. Unplanned we were able to visit a local elementary school. It was so amazing to me the amount of joy and happiness among to children considering the struggles that they face everyday. They loved us taking pictures of them. They would all storm around you wanting their pictures taken so that then they could see themselves on the camera. After our visit to the school we visited a local man’s home who is living with HIV. His home is basically a cement box. Again I also found an amount of joy within him, that you don’t seem to find among people living at home. Another thing I am finding here is a strong sense of community among everyone. Everyone within a community knows one another and looks after one another. At home most people don’t even know who their neighbors are.

27-7-07 – Today was our visit to the Traditional healer. What an interesting experience. He works from his home with the local people who come to him for medical advice. He also described some of his roles as what I would consider witch doctor like. He talked about seeing people to remove evil spirits or curses. From a healthcare perspective I was interested to find that he refers clients to the clinics for western medicine and works with there prescribed regimens, but western medicine does not feel that the Traditional healers have a role at all in medicine.

Posted by at 9:18 AM | Permalink

Posted by at 9:17 AM | Permalink

Posted by at 9:06 AM | Permalink

So i think the last day i left off was on monday, so i will start with tuesday. we went to a nursing orientation at NMMU and learned about their curriculum there. They have to have 4,500 clinical hours before they graduate and for those of you who don't know at VCU we only need to have 1,000 hours if that. It is ridiculous what they go through. The classes they take are pretty much the same. We learned about the different kinds of nurses here just like we have LPNs RNs and CNAs in the USA. Then we learned about the health care system in South Africa and then we learned what we were actually going to do while we were here. When we are in the clinics on tuesdays and wednesdays we will be doing primary health care like a doctors office in the US. The difference here is that there are no doctors in the primary health clinics here. They only have nurses who take the health history, do the physical assessment, diagnose the patient, and then write a prescription. These are just regular RNs who write the prescription which was really cool.

The rest of the day tuesday we all hung out and caught up on some sleep.
On wednesday we made our first trip our to the clinics. we went in pairs with the exception that one clinic had three people. I went to Chatty clinic with Rachel. It took us three hours to get there because we were the last ones to get dropped off and the driver was constantly getting lost. When we got there, there were lines and lines of people waiting to be treated. They had a separate section for children and for people with TB. I was assigned to a nurse and we sat in an examination room behind a desk that had a big book that logged all the patients in, what they were here for, and how they were treated. Remember that there are no computers here. Then the patient came in and handed the nurse their chart because they have a system where the patient takes their chart home and brings it each time they come. The nurse took notes while the patient described the problem and then the nurse began the physical assessment. The first couple of times i watched the assessment and then she started letting me do it myself. The hardest part was working the blood pressure cuff because they are not automatic here and i had to pump it up myself. I only saw a few patients because we were so late getting there. That night Dr. Moon took us out to dinner to hear about our day.
The next day we were scheduled to do home based visits. We started the day by going to a local elementary school in a very poor area. The vice principal gave us a tour and explained how the school worked. They didn't charge the students any money to go there and in return if something went wrong with the school then a parent who had that skill would fix it for free. They also had sewing rooms and carpentry rooms where the parents of the community could use and in return use their skills to fix the school desks and sew uniforms. It was very cool how the whole thing worked. At one point the children got out for a recess and then we started taking pictures. Immediately they swarmed us because no one has a camera to take their picture. I guess it makes them feel important. Then we went to a shack of a man who has HIV and asked him questions about it and prayed with him which was very nice. After that some we all went to a local craft market on the beach and bought a few presents for people. It was fun because you bartered with these people and they had some very cool things. That night we went out to eat and walked around the boardwalk and went into some of those shops.
Today we went to visit the traditional healer. He dressed in normal clothes but spoke with a very thick accent that was almost hard to understand. We went to his house and listened to him talk about the roles of traditional healers in the community and how the government feels about them. They take on a spiritual approach to heeling and talk to your ancestors to heal you. It was interesting and a bit confusing at the same time. Tomorrow we leave for Tsitsikamma which i'm very excited about.
Rebecca

Posted by at 9:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Posted by at 9:00 AM | Permalink

Hey everyone!! Africa is beautiful! We've been here a week and have already done so much. Last Sunday was a GREAT day for me because I got to hold a lion cub! I am huge animal lover and we visited a lion park. For about $6, you could hold a lion cub for about 10 min. I held a 2 month old, 40lbs male cub named Peter. He was adorable and very well behaved (probably because he was still sleepy from his nap!) The trainer told me that lions only sweat between the pads on their feet and they are born with their claws intact, this guys paws were HUGE and so were his claws! On Monday and Tuesday we had orientation to NMMU and the nursing program. Wednesday I visited Motherwell clinic and was given a tour and saw how the sisters run things. It was very enlightening and interesting to see how a clinic functions here as opposed to ours back at home. Yesterday was a fabulous day, we went to Sapphire Primary School and took a tour with the principal and met the workers from Emmanuel Home Health center. The kids there were so happy and excited to see us. They loved to have their picture taken and the girls would pose like supermodels for you!! Today we visited a traditional healer and then went to a craft bazaar. More later!! - Margaret

Posted by at 8:58 AM | Permalink

Posted by at 8:57 AM | Permalink

Watch the video courtesy of NBC 12 as Dean Langston is interviewed about the nursing shortage. The page is 12 mb in size and recommended for high speed connections.

Posted by Sue at 12:49 PM | Permalink

Today completes my first week in South Africa, and it was amazing. As the locals would say, I'm practically a South African now. =)

We have learned so much already about the people, the culture, and the healthcare situation in such a short period of time. I can hardly imagine all the knowledge I will have gained after a month here. On Monday and Tuesday of this week we were in orientation with both the study abroad department at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and the department of Nursing. Then on Wednesday we spent our first day in the clinics--an enlightening experience for all of us. The clinics are free for the public and are predominantly for primary healthcare, almost like a Patient First, though much more primitive. People are treated purely on a first come first serve basis and the clinics are often only open from 8am till noonish, so many people must be turned away. They line up very early in the morning to get on the list and hope that they will be seen by a nurse. Nurses are the ones who run the clinics and we were there with some of the nursing students from NMMU. We observed and helped with health assessments, and I was actually surprised by how similar the assessment is to what we learned in our first semester. The nursing students were so nice and we formed a relationship right away. I look forward to spending more time with these girls while we are here and getting to know more about their lives and backgrounds. The patients we saw were excited to see us there helping out, and they were very open to our presence. We will continue to return to the clinics and will rotate to various ones throughout Port Elizabeth.

Today was our best day by far. We visited Sapphire Primary School just outside Port Elizabeth in a remote village surrounded by more townships. It is a school not only for the children, but also for the families of the children so their approach is holistic. They serve over 1,000 children there with just 27 teachers. The school does not charge any fees for the students, which is not the norm in SA. So it is the parents who help keep the school running when there is no money to hire outside help for yard work, construction, gardening, etc. It is a wonderful community and we were touched by the love of the teachers, parents and children. We even met some of the mothers who were being taught to make beaded jewelry as a means of income. I have some great pictures and even a little video of the kids singing for us. The school has many children who are HIV positive, and they pride themselves in educating the students about health promotion. They also have a clinic that is being built to serve the children and families which will be much closer than the clinic they currently must travel to.

After visiting with the children, we went out into the community to visit some families in their homes. We were welcomed into the home of a man named Owen who has been living with HIV since 2000. We spoke with him for awhile about his health and learned more about what the group named Emmanuel helps do for the people of this community who are ill. Emmanuel is composed of volunteers who help care for these people in their homes. They encourage them to be active to maintain their strength and health, and they help them to take their medicines as prescribed. These volunteers are especially helpful when the people are unable to leave their homes. We will continue to work with Emmanuel while we are here, which I know will be a blessing. Before we left Owen's home, the volunteer said that she had typed up a word from the Bible this morning and wanted to share it with him. She read John 15:1-17 while we all stood around this man and I cannot begin to describe the overwhelming emotions flowing through that tiny room. Everyone person was in tears. Owen was so thankful for our presence and we all hugged as we left. I cannot wait until we return to this village and meet more of the people. –Jessica

Posted by at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This trip is amazing! Over the weekend I will be gone on a trip to Tsitsikamma. I am going to bunjee jump too...the tallest in the world.

I don't think I could ever do mission trips for months or years at a time because I can't stand to be away for that long. I am having a pretty good time though. Today was intense. We went to a grade school here and about 20% of the children are HIV positive. They all wanted their pictures taken. They sang us their national anthem and a children's song that Jessica and I have one each recorded on our cameras. We were given a tour and they told us about the programs they offer. They have vocational type programs for adults who need skills in order to go out and get jobs and they go up to about grade 7 for the kids. We then went into a home to speak to a man who is infected with HIV. We asked him about his life and saw the small shanty he lives in. He recently got electricity which is on a prepaid system. He has running water that is provided via allowance per month or something along those lines. The lady that is in charge of the center that does home care read a religious message and then they all sang The Lords Prayer together. Between that, his humble story, and the sallow conditions it all brought me to tears. You know me!

I have just seen so much and been affected by so many things here. It has only been a week! I went to the little craft market today and bought a few things. They barter here so the prices are pretty much whatever you are willing to pay. If you want an African mask or serving spoons or bowls or jewelry please let me know and I can get them for a good price. Or for gifts if you want me to bring back anything special for anyone. –Mica

Posted by at 11:32 AM | Permalink

Today was the day I have been looking for since we came to SA. It was all the emotional pieces I have needed in my life in one. We woke up expecting to go to a family's home to provide home health care. I expected it to be a little like what Simon and Ryan Seacrest did this season on Amerian Idol, however it was nothing like that. We first drove a good distance out to one of the townships. We stopped at a primary school for children about age 3 to 13.

They were beautiful. I couldn't help but laugh. When we took out our cameras I don't think I could stay on my two feet they were so excited to be photographed. Of course they were taller than me (yes even the three year olds) so I was on the bottom of the pack for most of the pictures. I had this one little girl that I called supermodel. She was beautiful. I am pretty sure she was a clone of me, because she couldn't stay away from the camera and was just loving the whole pose thing. Her little friends were so cute too. They all wear uniforms there, but they all vary how they wear them so they can individualize it. There was also this little boy whose little white shirt was half tucked in and everyone was stepping on him so I picked him up so I could get a picture with him...of course we both almost fell and got beat up by the 6th graders because we were both 2 feet tall.

We got to meet this amazing volunteer Paul who did all the woodworking at the school. He made beautiful window frames and doors. I stayed after just to go up and shake his hand and tell him how beautiful his work was. I think it is amazing the work that his hands created from nothing. Just to touch his hands felt like a privilege, and to know that he did that with no pay back is more amazing to me. That would be rare for you to find where we live. We got to see the room of computers they had for the entire school of 1,024 students and 27 teachers...I think it held about 23 if I remember correctly. All I know is that I throw a fit when my computer does not work for a day. I am just uplifted today.

Every time I would walk out of the classrooms, Supermodel and her friends would yell my name and do their poses. If I could take them all home with me I would. Janel had a great idea to have them sing a song so we could record them on our cameras. So all the smart people that have good cameras got some great footage. They made us sing to them though, so we sang the national anthem and if you thought my story before was bad....whew.

After our school visit we went and drove around the township and saw shacks and mothers with babies on their backs, children running in the dirt with no shoes on, dogs eating out of piles of garbage, broken cars on in front yards, if you can imagine it, we saw it. And to top it off in the distance we saw the most beautiful mountains. It was like beyond all that poverty there was something to look beyond. There was something to forward to. That is what the principal said as well. He said that the country of South Africa had come so far and surpassed so many bad times that no matter what may come in its way now...they can surpass it again.

Shortly into our drive we stopped at a middle aged man's living quarters. It was a place that I guess was built for him. The foundation and support was given to him and he had to provide the rest of the interior furnishing. It was actually very well put together inside. It was however very cold. Obviously there is no central heating or air. He was diagnosed HIV+ in 2000 and was still living with it, and trying to provide a healthy lifestyle for himself. We asked him a few questions about his living conditions and then as I thought we were leaving I shook his hand and he held onto it and I said thank you for letting us come into your home, but we were not done. One of our guides had told us she was thinking last night and went to her computer to write.
She had typed up something from John 15 in the Bible. She read it and I think we all started to cry. Then we all sang the Lord's Prayer. I don't think it mattered what religion you were at that point. The words just came to you. We all shook his hand and hugged and left on our way. Even though we didn't do a single bit of actual hands on nursing care, I think that this is what we came here to do.

I felt very whole today. I think we all did. I think it was the first day that as a group we didn't really feel tooooo much tension as well. At least I didn't.

On a lighter note...after all of that we went to the craft fair and got some pretty cool stuff, learned how to talk down prices, and hang with the locals. Tonight we might get to kareoke, and tomorrow I think we are going to a club because I really want to learn the local music.

Tomorrow we get to go to a traditional healer...I can't wait. I am going to allow myself to be a guinea pig if they need one. All I know is I am glad that I am not a boy, because I will tell you a story later on how they do circumcisions here when boys are ready to be men.

I would also like to note that I have not taken a shower since I have been here. HOWEVER, I have taken a bath...that is because there are no showers. I only have a bath in my room. I now appreciate the fact that sponge baths are not at all comfortable for my patients. When I get home...I will be requiring a 1 hour shower and a massage from head to toe from the plane ride. -- Cortney

Posted by at 11:30 AM | Permalink

Yesterday was our first "clinical day" here in ZA. Elaine and I were paired and sent to the Kwazakehle Day Hospital in one of the townships. I had tried to mentally prepare myself for what I would encounter, however reality proved to be much more intense than what I had imagined. We were told that the clinics would often see upwards of 400 patients per day, but to see the masses waiting was a totally different experience. All of the patients there had no health insurance and no ability to pay. The clinic offered primary health care services, immunizations for children, HIV testing, as well as some psychiatric services. We were oriented to the clinic by Sister Badella (all the nurses - male and female - are called by the title 'sister'). She had been a nurse for 45 years! She was wonderful...full of hugs and stories. By 1230, she was ready for Elaine and I to perform a health assessment on a patient, under her close supervision of course. That was quite interesting, considering my patient spoke isiXhosa! I stumbled through it and then had to present the case to the M.D!!! The experience was surreal. It made me so appreciative for our facilities in the U.S. and even more proud of the nurses that serve in THIS country. A registered nurse in South Africa is responsible for assessing, prescribing medications and even suturing patients! After completing a 4 year degree!!! Unreal.

Today was another uniquely wonderful experience. As part of our home health care visit, we attended Sapphire Primary School. A school with around 1024 students and 27 teachers!!! The children there were magnificent!!! They are so beautiful and full of life. When they saw that we had cameras they flocked to us to be photographed. And when one of us would try to be photographed with a small group of students, 15 more would come flying in to be a part of the picture. Mica said it was almost like we were celebrities! I've never seen people be so excited to have their pictures taken. They felt so important and proud to be recognized. They sang songs for us. They clapped. They were just so happy. Soooooo uplifting. We then went with a volunteer from Emmanuel service, which is a NGO (non-governmental organization) that has volunteers that visit home-bound HIV+ residents. These individuals moved me to tears. We went to "Brother Owen's" house in the township. He has been living with HIV for nearly 7 years. He lived in a small house with his daughter and girlfriend. He didn't seem to mind the "foreign intruders" at all. We talked with him and asked questions about his health and living conditions. Before we left, Vivian (the guide for the day) prayed with all of us. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house. It was so profoundly moving, to see this man that lived in unimaginable poverty and with a disease that was ravaging his body, yet his faith did not waiver. I was/am so blown away. And with that, I think I'll end this here...until next time. --Janel

Posted by at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Posted by at 11:27 AM | Permalink

Oh my gosh, things like this should not be happening in 2007!
Today I went to a free clinic for the people who have no money to pay for medical care. The clinic runs from 8a to 5 p and offers pediatric well clinic, HIV screening & care, general medicine, social services, I'm not sure if psych services are offered here. There is no stay over or surgery facilities at this clinic. On a busy day this clinic will see upwards to 400 patients/day. Diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and arthritis seem to be the commonest ailments seen here, but anything can be seen walking through the doors. Today a young lady came in with tonsils at 3+ and lots of white exudate. (She was referred to the MD for antibiotics and probably surgery later). Another young lady returned with continued epigastric pain x 5 days, was given Mayogel (I guess like Mylanta) when she was last seen. Today she reports vomiting blood. There is no such thing as Nexium or Prilosec here at this clinic. She was given Tagamet, antacid, and some non aspirin pain reliever (she was taking her mother's ASA for headaches). I asked if this patient would get referred for an endoscopy? Basically, no, the patients have no money to pay.

The well-baby clinic was vaccinating for polio today.
The VCT clinic (the area that screens and treats for HIV) was very busy.
There were also patients given a bowl of rice or cereal to eat. I'm not sure what qualified them for the meal, but I was told that at least these people will get one warm meal for the day.
But you know, even though these patients have to wait for hours and maybe days. They are so patient and polite. The Sister (i.e., nurse) stated most patients do return for BP checks, med refills, etc. She feels her patients are most compliant and ever so grateful for whatever you do for them. The staff is amazing. You know they have to be overworked, but they were so friendly to our visit and so willing to answer our questions. I don't know if I just hit it on a "good" day; I can't believe that this workload day after day wouldn't wear one down. God Bless these workers!!! --Elayne

Posted by at 4:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Posted by at 4:36 PM | Permalink

Posted by at 4:32 PM | Permalink

School of Nursing Alumni, we want to hear from you! The Development Office is getting to work on the fall issue of Connections. (see the spring issue here: http://www.nursing.vcu.edu/Connections/Spring07.pdf

Have you changed jobs, been promoted, retired, received an award, had a baby, gotten married, etc.? Let us know and we will publish your news in the Alumni Notes section of the magazine. You can submit your news through our Alumni Update section on the web at: http://www.nursing.vcu.edu/alumni_update.shtml

Posted by at 4:30 PM | Permalink

South Africa has been everything I expected AND MORE!!! Where do I even begin? I started the journey 3 days ahead of my classmates and alone, as I was making a stop in Cape Town. I arrived very late on Wednesday (7/18) evening and had a big next day ahead of me. After my taxi to the hotel, all I could think about was sleep. The next morning, I woke up to the sound of the house staff singing and dancing around the property. It was an amazing thing to witness; this group of 9 women, singing...as if they were embracing and welcoming in the new day. Thursday would mark my first amazing adventure in the country, as I fulfilled a life-long dream of cage diving with Great White sharks!!! Without trepidation, I jumped in the cage (with 4 other adrenaline enthusiasts) and watched as 5 sharks circled for the better part of 3 hours. It was unlike anything I've ever experienced in my life. I met some cool people...this guy Jonas from Oregon, who was literally backpacking around the world and Rowenna from Newcastle, UK who was on holiday in ZA. It was a brilliant day!

The next day I ventured down to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, which is the big shopping district in Cape Town. I had a few hours to kill before my flight would depart for Port Elizabeth and I would link up with the rest of the group. I mostly walked around the mall and the piers, although the weather had taken a nasty turn. Cold (upper 50's) and rainy, which is typical for Cape Town during their winter. I suppose that is a luxury for some of us back in the States! :)
I arrived in P.E. and within minutes, the groups plane landed from JoBurg. It was so nice to see some familiar faces, although everyone I had encountered in the country was so lovely, I never really felt lonely. That Friday night, it was pretty much straight to bed. Saturday was a trip to one of the local townships and the Red Location Museum. A sobering sight indeed. To see what much of this country had to live with during the years of apartheid was heartbreaking. To sort of offset the somber mood we were all in, our tour guides took us to a shebeen which was once an illegal pub. Great experience and great cider beer!
Sunday was a tremendous day. We went to a lion park and we got to hold a baby lion cub!!! And I mean HOLD them! Unreal. We then went to the Kragga Kamma game reserve and saw many of the indigenous animals to the region, including giraffes, antelope, impalas, nyalas, rhinos, monkeys, buffalo, ostrich (which tastes good by the way!) and warthogs..just to name a few. Another incredible/"once in a lifetime" experience!
So far this week, we've been orienting to NMMU and the nursing program, catching up on emails and sleep. Tomorrow is our first clinical day. I'm nervous and excited. This trip has already changed me...in less than a week. I can't wait to see what the rest of our time here has in store for us all! CHEERS! - Janel

Posted by at 12:47 PM | Permalink

Monday's Richmond Times Dispatch featured an article on singer/songwriter Tracy Retchin. Tracy performed her song "By Your Side" at the School's Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on April 27th. Click here to read about Tracy, plus listen to "By Your Side":
http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/search.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-07-23-0003.html

Posted by at 12:33 PM | Permalink

Posted by at 1:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Posted by at 1:24 PM | Permalink

Posted by at 1:22 PM | Permalink

Hi everyone!!!

So far I am here in South Africa and I am safe. It's beautiful. The first day we got here we were all tired and jet lagged so we pretty much got in and went to bed. The next day we went on a tour of the townships and saw some of the rural places in Port Elizabeth and what happened to the city during the aparthaid. It was pretty eye opening. I got some really good pictures of cute little kids in the town.

We got to go on a safari yesterday. It was AMAZING! I held a baby lion. YES I DID! And I saw an impala...and nooooo not that car...the little thing the car was named after. Crazy I know. It was great...plus my tour guide was gorgeous so that was great too. Haha.

The accents here are wonderful. Today Janel, Jessica and I spent all day pretending we spoke like them. I think we have the hang of it. We can fool anyone. Haha. We had a little orientation of the school (It's the nelson mandela university here in PE). Tomorrow we have an orientation of the nursing stuff we will be doing. After our orientation we went to the mall. I don't think a lot of us realized how cold it was going to be. It's freezing!!!! Well, it was freezing until today where it got up to like 80 where i decided to wear a sweater. That figures. We ended up going to the beach today bit, but it was bloody windy when we got there (do you like my new vocab words?).

Everything is very reasonable price wise here. We ended up picking up some avocados for about 23 cents a piece. Take that you bad cholesterol. Haha i am such a nerd. We just picked up a six pack of Cider (that's for you Gal) for about 5 dollars. Brilliant!

I haven't really been in any dodgy areas so far. Everyone seems very very friendly. We found a great place to kareoke on thursday nights. You all know that I will be doing that. Let's all take bets on what I will be singing. I have been practicing on our bus rides with Mica, Jessica and Margaret a lot. They play some pretty darn amazing music. I am pretty sure we did an amazing duet on the bus of linda ronstandt and lionel ritchie the other day that made the bus driver cry. He was literally in tears. I offered him my sleeve. It's a good thing it's winter here and I even had sleeves on to offer him.

So anyway, How is everyone else doing? How are my wonderful sorority sisters? Stacey are u getting excited for the big day?! I am still sad I am missing it, but I will think about you every minute! Mom and Dad...no use in writing to you becasue you are sailing the carribean. I am taking practice NCLEX on the plane...the other people think I am crazy. Andy, don't you remember when I would write you everyday from Peru and you would write me these random stories back...can u believe I am doing this all over again?! I didn't have enough of it. Make up a story now about me and a tribe where I am a princess. Erin, you were right...i am eating too much...it's true. Farouk, I love the wine here...you totally need to come drink wine here!
Michelle I got your email but I will not be in the states in August on the 6th:( Sadness about life. I will have to visit london sometime for real. I want to travel over the world. I want to get the rest of my passport filled by the time it's 2012. Mac, I am having a great time. Thanks for the email. It is cheaper over here than in the states for the majority of stuff...only if you have a job. haha. Thomas...you me and princeton when I get back...it's a date. Gal...I saw monkeys. I know i told you this already but seriously I saw them. and I tried to get their feet, but they wanted to keep them, but don't think I am not going to keep looking. I am going to live with a family for the weekend and I will be asking them to teach me traditional dances so we will swap when I come visit you when I get back....when I come visit in LA...hear that Kim...I will be in LA so you and I will be together again:)

OK I miss everyone. I will write again. PS. I will be going bungee jumping from the highest point in the world this weekend at 650 ft so pray for me.:)

Love you all!
Cortney and all the other names you love to call me

Posted by at 1:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

So far my trip to S. Africa has been absolutely wonderful. I have gone on a safari and gotten close enough to touch the animals you see on the Discovery Channel. I held a baby lion cub and watched the lions feed. I saw a really impressive museum theming the Red Location here in S. Africa. I toured some local townships and met some very friendly local people. We went to a shibine with the tour guide and drove along the coastline. Cortney and I have been impressing the drivers (or making them cry) with our amazing singing skills. They listen to a lot of music from the 80s here and they play it really loud. I am looking forward to beginning some of the nursing studies that we will be doing; I think we start it on Tuesday. I am curious to see what is different here in health care than from in the states. I will keep you posted on more interesting news from my stay here in S. Africa!!! -- Mica

Posted by at 1:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I just wanted to send a quick note to let everyone know that we arrived safely in Port Elizabeth, South Africa--we got here around 7pm Friday my time (we are 6 hours ahead here in PE). Anyway, it has been amazing so far! The only glitch is that one of my classmates missed the flight out of Dulles and he will not arrive here until Monday, otherwise, all is well. Our accomodations are nice, although we were all surprised to see that we will only be taking baths for the next month and no showers! =) An adventure for sure. This morning we all had breakfast together on the beach at a cute little restaurant where I had a very English breakfast. I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but PE is on the coast, so it almost feels like home.

After breakfast we did some grocery shopping and then headed off for a tour of the townships. The townships are where most of the impoverished blacks live and it was very moving and sad to see how some of these people live. At the same time, though, they seemed so happy and were very welcoming of us. We also had the opportunity to visit the Red Location Museum, which is in memory of the struggle through Apartheid. It paid tribute to the lives of those who fought to end Apartheid and the people killed mercilessly. Tomorrow (Sunday) we will go to a game reserve and then on Monday we will begin orientation at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. – Jessica

Posted by at 12:59 PM | Permalink

Hey guys,

Everything is great. The plane ride was not so bad. We hit some turbulance though. Got a little upset but made out ok. It is beautiful here. The beach and coastline are amazing.

7/21/07- Went on a tour of Port Elizabeth. Drove through the town and townships. The townships are so sad. They basically live in shacks. They have running water and electricity but use a local wash room for baths. Then we drove up the coastline. Ryan would love the waves. The coast line is rocky in some places and has beautiful greenery.

7/22/07-Today we went to a lion park. We viewed lions but they were in cages. It was almost like visiting a zoo. We were able to hold a baby lion. It was only 2 months old. I held it like I hold Jersey. I was scared though. After that we visited a game reserve. We drove around in a Jeep, it was very up close and personal with the animals. I was able to get great pictures. We saw several animals most I can't remember the name but they were all native to South Africa. I especially loved the giraffes. We also went into a fenced in area (it reminded me of Jurassic Park) to see cheetas. I was really scared then. We were only about 15-20 feet away inside the Jeep.

7/23/07- Today we had our orientation to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. The University was much bigger than I thought it would be. Everyone there seems to be very nice and helpful. The campus is not much different than a US campus would be. We also visited a local shopping mall. I was very surprised that it is similar to a mall in the US. (so Mom I got to do some shopping, not like we do though) Then we got an opportunity to ride public transportation (the bus) back to our lodging. Not too bad, just awful hot. That was an experience. The rest of the afternoon we have off. Very happy for that. I been sleeping ok once I get to sleep, but having trouble falling a sleep. Looking forward to resting the rest of the afternoon.

I miss everyone. Give Jersey kisses for me. I hope to try and send pictures soon.
Love you,
Rachel

Posted by at 12:58 PM | Permalink

Hey Guys,
I have a little more time to write the email this time so let me fill you in on some of the details. It's very cold here, not at all like any of us thought it would be. I did find the harry potter book here the day it came out, but it's very different. The cover is completely different, the text is different, and even the spelling. We went out to eat a couple of nights ago and i ordered the ostrich and impala (which is like an antelope.) They were pretty good. The next thing i want to try here is the lion and sheep. They are both delicacies too.

Yesterday we went to a game park with lions and tigers. It's like a zoo in the US but they are much closer to you and there is less in between you and the animals. It's just a fence between you and the tigers and lions. Then they fed the lions and we got to see that. We also got to hold and play with the baby lions which is something i will probably never have the chance to do again. Then we went to another game park but this one was more like a safari. We all climbed into a jeep and drove through the terrain looking and giraffes and rhinos and even cheetas. It was scary at times because this time there was NOTHING between you and the animals. Our tour guide even got out of the jeep once to chase the rhino away which almost turned into a scene from jurassic park. We went out to dinner after that but it was a seafood place so i just had pasta.
Today we went to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) for like a campus orientation. We were given a tour and we watched a movie on the university so we were done at like 11 am. Then we went to a local shopping mall because we have all been freezing and so we bought more jeans and sweatshirts. I feel bad buying more clothes because i should have just brought more but nobody was prepared for this weather. It's like October weather here and windy. After the mall we took the public bus home which was interesting. We then went grocery shopping again. The set up of the grocery store isn't much different from ours but it has completely different things in here. The other thing is that the grocery store is 5 blocks from our flat so we have to walk to it and carry our groceries back. Also the closest restaurant is 11 blocks away. So we do a lot of walking.
We have been very tired lately so we think the jet lag is catching up to us. We jumped right into the time difference here because when we got off the last plane it was 7:00pm and we were already exhausted from the flight because nobody got any sleep because it was uncomfortable. So it wasn't a hard adjustment. Things do look different here as i knew they would, but people dress pretty much the same as we do. i think we even stick out a little because we all brought old clothes. The music they listen to is like a blast from the past too. They listen to boyz to men, and celine dion everywhere. It's like the slow r&b hits of the 90's. It's fun to listen to and the bus drivers get a kick out of listening to us sing. The people are very nice and very helpful here and they all speak english so we haven't had trouble with that yet. I would like to pick up some afrikanz or esxhosa but it's hard to understand. The shower is hard to get used to too. It has no curtain and it either comes out scolding hot or frezzing cold. There really is no inbetween.
I also have been trying to keep my eye out for some gifts for everyone, but all i have found were things for myself. I found the perfect centerpieces for my tables at my reception but they are pricy so i'm going to go to local markets to see if i can't find them cheaper.
We are all having a good time and taking lots of pictures. For the rest of the day we will probably just chill because our days are so jammed pack that we are tired. Tomorrow we are going to nursing orientation which should be interesting. I will try and write by the end of the week to tell you about their health care system and the traditional healer on friday before i go to tsitsikamma. I miss everyone!!
Becca

Posted by at 12:55 PM | Permalink

Posted by at 2:44 PM | Permalink

After two days of delayed flights and almost misses, 8 of the 9 students in Dr. Moon's Study Abroad South Africa arrived in Port Elizabeth on Friday evening July 20. One student, left behind in the US due to flight delays, will join us on Monday evening.

After checking in on Friday night, and a good night's sleep, the group walked on the boardwalk by the Indian Ocean this morning. We then had brunch at the Blue Waters Cafe on an outdoor deck (shunned by South African who were indoors staying warm with a fire in the fireplace) after which we walked around, looked at the environs, and went shopping for groceries at the Pic and Pay (where customers have to purchase plastic bags as a way to keep down litter). At 1 pm we rode in 2 vans on a township/city tour that included the Red Location Museum, a new museum about apartheit funded by the Swedish government. After a stop at a local township tavern (where we were the only women in the place!), we completed the tour of downtown PE and Walmer and arrived back at our lodging by way of the beach road.

I am hoping that students will add photos and text as our trip continues. Tomorrow to the game parks to meet the lions! -- Martha

Posted by at 2:19 PM | Permalink

To read the interview with Elizabeth Crooks, MSN, RN, Clinical Assistant Professor in the VCU School of Nursing, see the Nursing in Virginia website at:http://www.nursinginva.com/summer2007/profile.htm

Posted by at 10:17 AM | Permalink

Congratulations to Ruth Burk on her National Research Service Award (NRSA) titled "Predictors of Agitation in the Critically Ill."

Way to go, Ruth!

Posted by Sue at 9:15 AM | Permalink

The Richmond Area Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) has chosen Dean Langston from the VCU School of Nursing as the 2007 recipient of the Richard B. Caspari Award. Read more at the AORN website...

Congratulations, Dean Langston!

Posted by Sue at 8:55 AM | Permalink

Campers Learn Chest Compressions at The VCU Medical Center

The VCU School of Nursing and VCU Medical Center are participating in the University’s Summer Discovery Program. The School of Nursing and Medical Center view this as a recruitment opportunity and have looked over the horizon and invited twelve rising 6th, 7th and 8th graders from the Richmond metropolitan area to participate in the fourth annual Nursing Summer Camp entitled A Week in Scrubs – Nursing in the 21st Century.

Research shows that the middle school years are THE critical point at which young people choose careers. Knowing this, we have two goals for the camp:
to create a positive perception of the nursing profession and in doing so eliminate the historic negative stereotypes and to encourage students to choose a nursing career.

We have planned what we hope will be a fun, exciting week. Each day has a theme.
Monday – Technology Day including Friends & Family CPR class
Tuesday – Pediatric Nursing
Wednesday – Emergency Department Nursing
Thursday – OR Nursing
Friday – Wrap Up Day & Closing Ceremony.

These activities will be held in both the new state-of-the-science School of Nursing Building and in the VCU Medical Center. Campers will have the opportunity to view nursing from behind the scenes in many hands-on activities.

Posted by at 12:22 PM | Permalink

Nursing classes ending in 2 or 7 came together to celebrate MCV Campus Reunion in April of 2007. The VCU School of Nursing was happy to receive alumni in our brand new, state-of-the science building.
The MCV Alumni Association recognized four graduates with awards at the Alumni Cocktail reception on Saturday evening. The award winners were: Deborah Raines, PhD ’92, MCV Outstanding Alumnus Award; Linda Hancock, MS ’84, PhD ’01,Outstanding Practice Award; Francine Barr, MS ’82, Outstanding Nurse Alumnus Award; Deborah Kirkland, BS ’91, Outstanding Service Award.

Dr. Nancy Langston and Dr. Deborah Raines

Left to Right: Dr. Linda Hancock, Francine Barr, Dr. Nancy Langston, Deborah Kirkland

Alumni from the 1940's and 1950's Celebrate Reunion

Alumni from the 1970's Celebrate

Alumni from the 1990's Enjoy the Party

Posted by at 3:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The motto of the VCU School of Nursing Class of 2007 permeated the air as family and friends filled the seats of the Siegel Center on the evening of Friday May 18th for the Recognition Ceremony. In all, 123 students were recognized, the majority earning a bachelor’s degree, but many others earning a master’s or ph.d. in nursing.

If on the spot polling is a true indicator, the bachelors to masters and ph.d. ratios may well be leveling out in coming years. When class leader Kathleen Martin asked the traditional seniors to raise their hands if they thought they would teach at some point, over 65% held their hands high. Around 90% of the traditional Class of 2007 is planning to attend graduate school for nursing, which is promising that they will indeed teach at some point in their careers. Thus these new graduates will play a role in relieving the nursing shortage in more ways than one. Kathleen rounded out her remarks to graduates by reminding them that “We are heroes, we are nurses.”

In her address to the School’s newest new graduates, Dean Nancy Langston congratulated students on completing their studies and joining the ranks of the educated citizenry. She recognized family members and friends in the audience that had come from as far away as Thailand and Denmark, thanking them for joining in this great celebration and milestone in the lives of graduates.

Dr. David Sarrett, Associate Vice President for Health Sciences, offered remarks and congratulations to the graduates, noting that the Recognition Ceremony is a special time not only for graduates, but also for the faculty and administrators, as graduates are the return on their investment.

As graduates each took their turn across the stage they were presented with a single rose and a handshake from Dr. Langston. Many broke from the ranks to seek out and hug the faculty member (or members) that have made such a difference in their education and their lives, perhaps demonstrating most clearly the impact nurses have on us all.

Photos from the Recognition Ceremony:

Students Make Their Way Across the Floor of the Siegel Center

Undergraduates Gather for the Start of the Ceremony

A Young Family Shows That Nursing School Involves the Entire Family

Dr. Langston Demonstrates that the Commitment of the Class of 2007 Began Early

The Class of 2007 Presents the Class Gift to Dr. Langston

New Graduates Smile for the Camera

A New Master's Graduate Celebrates with Professor Tanya Huff

Posted by at 2:46 PM | Permalink

"Magnificent Buds" by W. Baxter Perkinson, Jr., D.D.S.

Over 85 of the 106 paintings created and donated by Baxter Perkinson have been adopted to raise funds for the School of Nursing Garden! There are still plenty more available, and it’s a perfect way to honor a loved one, a special nurse in your life, or demonstrate your dedication to your School.

All proceeds from the adopted paintings will be used to help the VCU School of Nursing grow a beautiful and peaceful garden in the School’s courtyard. Paintings can be adopted for a tax deductible donation of $1,000 or more. When you adopt a painting your name will be added to the painting’s id tag, along with an honor line to remember someone that has made a difference in your life (if you so choose).

Please contact (or better yet come and visit) the new School of Nursing to see which paintings are still available. For more information on adopting paintings, contact Kelly Gotschalk, Assistant Director of Development at (804) 828-2993 or by e-mail at kjgotschalk@vcu.edu.

Posted by at 12:56 PM | Permalink

The words of Dean Nancy Langston ring true from the School of Nursing Ribbon Cutting and Building Dedication on Friday April 27th, 2007:

"This new building serves not only as the end of a long journey in the history of the school - to have a place and space that supports and makes visible the work of nursing and the School , but also as the cornerstone of new beginnings and even greater things to come."

Over 700 alumni and friends gathered to cut the ribbon and join in the celebration of our new 70,000 square foot, state-of-the-science nursing education facility. Three days of festivities included an art opening to celebrate 106 in 2006: Watercolors by Baxter Perkinson, a gift of over 106 original large scale watercolors painted specifically for the School of Nursing; the Ribbon Cutting and Building Dedication, and a Saturday Open House, followed up by the Alumni Cocktail Reception to cap off Reunion Weekend.

Having alumni and friends join in the celebration to inaugurate the new home for Nursing at VCU made the weekend all the more special and significant. The School of Nursing looks forward to many years in our new home and to having the capacity to invite alumni and friends in to share the excitement of cutting edge nursing education.

A few photos from our big day:

School of Nursing Student Ambassadors Welcome Guests

St. Philip School of Nursing Alumni During Opening Remarks

Mrs. Helen Shaw Birch (N'47) Meets Mr. Jim Roberts, Co-Chair of the Campaign for VCU

Tracy Retchin Sings "By Your Side", an Original Composition for the Ribbon Cutting

Posted by at 11:58 AM | Permalink

St. Phillip, MCV and VCU School of Nursing classes ending in a 3 or an 8 will celebrate reunion in April of 2008. This is the first year that Nursing can plan to hold class specific events in our new building and we are anxious to welcome you home to do just that! There is plenty of room in our state-of-the science facility, and we even have some of the vintage School of Nursing china so your lunches or teas will feel just like home.

Reunion Weekend 2008 will be April 11th, 12th and 13th, so mark you calendars now! The MCV Alumni Association will handle many of Campus wide details. To inquire about organizing class specific events in the School of Nursing, please contact Kelly Gotschalk at (804) 828-2993, or by e-mail at kjgotschalk@vcu.edu.

The MCV Alumni Association and the School of Nursing needs class representatives to participate in event planning and get the word out to classmates to come back this spring. To share in the planning of your class specific events, please contact Michael Green-Russell at the MCV Alumni Association at (804) 828-3900, or by e-mail at migreene@vcu.edu. The Alumni Association and the School of Nursing will work with you to make your reunion the special and memorable event that it should be.

Posted by at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Spring Miniature by Dr. W. Baxter Perkinson, Jr., adopted by Catherine B. Strauss and Jerome F. Strauss, III, M.D., Ph.D.

When the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing cut the ribbon during Reunion Weekend in April, it had far more than the latest in technology to show off to friends and alumni. On Thursday April 26th, VCU alumnus and former Board of Visitors rector W. Baxter Perkinson Jr., D.D.S., unveiled one of the most unique gifts in the school’s history with the opening of “106 in 2006: Watercolors by Baxter Perkinson”. Dr. Perkinson created and donated a collection of original work for the VCU School of Nursing in order to underscore the importance and pervasive presence of art in the practice of nursing. The gift fills practically every hallway, conference room or shared space with large scale watercolors.

“I knew the nursing school needed this collection because there wasn’t the budget for art. Nancy Langston was always telling me that art fuels caring and healing and that's why she considers nursing an art,” Perkinson said. Dr. Perkinson, approached the dean about making such a gift, and she happily accepted. The collection, “106 in 2006” is donated to the School of Nursing in honor of Dr. Perkinson’s mother, Stella, who was once a student at the MCV School of Nursing. A more recent connection to the School comes through his daughter, Elizabeth, a nurse practitioner and member of Nursing’s Class of 2000.

Dr. Perkinson’s art brings an aesthetic consideration to the state-of-the-science educational building, reminding students that their intuition, creativity and caring are as key as the technical principles they apply in their work. Covering a range of subjects, the watercolors range from stark black and white snowscapes, to lush, full gardens and flowers bursting with color, to quiet and solitary family farms and farm animals, to abstractions and collages.

“The building is really a visual representation of the art and science of nursing,” Langston said. “The openness allows us to reflect on the beauty of our world, while at the same time, we’re confronted with the complexity and challenges of the vast amount of knowledge and sophisticated technologies of the 21st century that transform the way we work as scientists and the way we study and learn the science and art of nursing.”

Dr. Perkinson’s gift has helped to pave the way for some of the school’s other fundraising needs — namely a garden planned for the building’s courtyard. This is being accomplished through the school’s adopt-a-painting program and sales of the collection’s companion book ($25) and DVD ($10). For information on adopting a painting or purchasing a book or DVD, please contact Kelly Gotschalk at (804) 828-2993, or by e-mail at kjgotschalk@vcu.edu.

Posted by at 2:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)