Written by Albanus Mbuvi, HHFL student nurse
It’s Albanus again! and I am glad to share with you the thinhgs I’ve been through lately as far as my nursing studies and general life is concerned.
First, regarding my studies, I am currently at community diagnosis rotation two. This is where we go to the community to give vaccinations to babies, give health education to mothers on breastfeeding, to teach the community about nutrition and advising them on clean and safe drinking water.
Kenya is among the developing countries where many of our communities don’t get access to clean water. Most of the families survive on barely one meal a day. Also, you get to realize that we have communities and villages that do not seek for medication when sick. To some, even during the time of giving birth, their women are being assisted by traditional birth attendants or midwives. In some of the communities, it is due to culture and to some it’s because of the lack of nearby hospitals or health centers for such occasions.
Babies born in the villages don’t receive the birth vaccinations, so when we go for these kinds of rotations one of our functions and duties is to give vaccinations to the babies to prevent certain infections. We also sensitize the mothers who have given birth to the babies about coming to the clinic for checkups, nutrition, hygiene and any danger signs that might occur and what to do in case of such emergencies. This community diagnosis is more of an outreach programme for our nursing school.
In the month of April and may, I was at the new born unit placement 2. This is a unit for babies admitted because of premature births, very low birth-weight babies, respiratory problems, babies with congenital abnormalities like cardiac problems and also babies from other facilities can be brought to our facility for continued management and care. What happens here is that, babies are put in incubators and nourished and administered with medication while at the nursery until the baby gains weight to a point of moving to stay at the bedside with the mother. Also we have those other babies which stay at the care of the nursery attendants awaiting theatre or lab results for their diagnosis so that treatment can start.
My general life has also been affected by the state of our country, especially when there have been some heated demonstrations from the opposition side of the government. The economy is so tough with high prices of commodities making the cost of living go very high. The darkside of these protests is that people lose lives and get injured, that’s why I’m never part of that game.
Everything has been smooth for me leave for just a few challenges with the economy here in our country but Mama Hanne, Lucy and Isaiah do their best to keep us going. I am scheduled to graduate on December 4th 2024 and will officially join the medical profession. I am actually hoping to do a specialty in Intensive Care after my basic nursing. I have the passion for taking care of the critically ill patients and that will land me into intensive care.
I am a big fan of football and I actually play football tournaments most of the time here in school. I am a big supporter of the Manchester United. The premier league is my best league with top level players and high intensity of play. I love that.
The junior students (high school and primary) from the project will be closing this week, so I will have to make it to the project for our interactions and mentorship sessions which we always hold when schools close.
The laptop that HHFL bought for me has been of help all the time, during research, doing my exams, reading online books and so on. I take this time once again to express my immense gratitude to HHFL and our sponsors for supporting my education and that of my HHFL siblings. Your continued contribution has given me the wings to soar high and achieve my dreams without any financial worries. I am thrilled and eager to make the most of this opportunity.
