Physical Health Ethiopia Project #8750

Train new health workers in Ethiopia: Save lives!

by IntraHealth International

Project Report | May 12, 2015
Reflections from the Field

By Lisa Mangiapani | Development Officer

Being a nursing student in Ethiopia presents all kinds of challenges, from supply shortages, to long commutes, to difficult-to-reach locations, but it also brings many rewards. This quarter, the students at Alkan University reflect on their experiences in the health facilities, what they have observed, and how they feel they are making a difference in saving lives.

When asked about the health facilities, every student observed and reflected on the inadequacies they witness. From supply shortages to lack of training facilities, the students encountered challenges in the facilities where they worked. Haymanot notes, “the institution has a shortage of the necessary equipment and no learning center for the demonstration of different cases so that students are able to discuss [with] each other.” However, she also adds that despite these shortages, the health professionals at each facility do their best to care for their patients. “The health institution provides an excellent service to its customers. The health professionals are so nice and they treat their patients appropriately.”

Despite these shortages, working with and learning from other health professionals has proved to be very rewarding during these clinic visits. Tsheay says, “it is the cooperation of many stakeholders which has a great contribution in saving lives. Out of these, the health professionals at the health facility are the most important. During my stay at the health facility I [had a] good relationship with this health professionals and got a good skill by observing what they were doing, asking them about things which were new to me, and share[ing] their experience.”

But, what has been most rewarding for each of the students is learning how to be a nurse, and witnessing the impact nurses can have on their patients. Almaz reflects, “the profession I am learning taught me how to work with patients. I am satisfied when I am giving care to them even in difficult circumstances.” She looks to the future and what she hopes to accomplish in the coming years as a nurse, and what impact she can have on improving patient care. “I am having the vision to support and keep patients safe and healthy. To drive progress on the way care is provided, I am focused on improving the coordination and integration of health care, engaging patients more deeply in decision-making and improving the health of patients with a priority on prevention and wellness. These major strides in patient safety are a result of strong, diverse coordination and active engagement of the health professionals, patients, and families. I feel that I am one of these concerned bodies to make a difference in saving lives.”

Thank you to the nursing students at ALKAN University for sharing your reflections with us and being the stakeholders that create change. And to those who support these students and our continued mission to serve as champions of the frontline health worker, thank you too. To learn about other ways IntraHealth International is empowering frontline health workers, visit us at www.intrahealth.org or sign up to receive our news and updates.

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Jan 9, 2015
Stories from the Field

By Lisa Mangiapani | Development Officer

Fatuma

Happy New Year from Tsehay, Fatuma, Hawa, Almaz, Eyerus, and Haymanot at Alkan University in Ethiopia! These nursing students at Alkan University have just finished a busy semester, where they began interacting with patients more closely, and practicing the skills they have been studying and learning over the course of their training.

We asked the students to report back on some of the interactions they had with their patients and the challenges they faced after completing this past training block. From challenging client cases, to administering medications, to consultations on what family planning option is best, the nursing students have been utilizing the skills they learned in the classroom, in the field.

Fatuma told a story about her apprenticeship at a health station, where her training helped her properly care for a client and respond quickly to a crisis. She was working with a patient who suffered anaphylactic shock after administering a dose of penicillin: “One day a patient was coming to take penicillin medication. I was alone and it was my first time to inject that medicine. I gave her and the patient went into shocked. But I immediately I gave adrenaline and she recovered.”

Tsehay talked about a problem many health care providers in the US talk about as well. The challenge she discussed was clients not taking the full course of their medications. Despite this she says “[nursing] taught me how to work with patients. I am happy working with patients. I am satisfied when I am giving care to them even in difficult circumstances.”

Almaz told of an instance when she was administering vaccines during her apprenticeship and faced reluctance from the client. “When I was attending my cooperative training at the health center, I was in the EPI room to give vaccine. One mother was not voluntary to give the vaccine for her child…I aware her that no problem would have happened and she became voluntary.” Almaz learned that by sharing her knowledge, she can ease fears and help the community.

Regardless of the challenges, all of the students mentioned their love of the profession and their relationship with the clients. Hawa says about her clients, “My relationship with them is friendly. I communicate with them, giving care and help them as much as I can in an ethical manner.”

To our donors, thank you for your continued support of these incredible women. And to our nursing students, thank you for sharing your stories with us and best of luck as you complete your year!

Haymanot

Eyerus

Tsehay

Hawa

Almaz

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Aug 25, 2014
The Impact of Training Nursing Students

By Lisa Mangiapani | Development Officer

The nursing students at Alkan Health Science College began the third quarter of their second year this July and have continued pursuing their studies in areas of predetermined key competencies to improve the nursing skills they have already begun to develop. As we follow their studies, it is important to remember the impact these scholarships are having not just on the lives of these six students, but also in the communities they will serve.

Ethiopia is one of the most populated countries in Africa, second only to Nigeria. Providing healthcare to such a large and continuously growing population is especially challenging. In addition to being densely populated, Ethiopia is also a mountainous country which makes reaching rural areas extremely difficult. However, each of these six students will bring back their advanced skills to a rural community in Ethiopia, and serve a population that otherwise would not have access to basic health care.

The rapidly growing population highlights particularly the importance of training more nurses and midwives to be skilled birth attendants. This is one of the key competency areas these students are studying through hands-on training in the skills laboratory to learn the process of labor and listen to classroom lectures on the female reproductive system. Eyerus reflects on the community and the role she will play as she practices the skills she’s learned in child and maternal health at nearby health center: “I have an interest to be part of the community fight[ing] to reduce the death of mothers and babies.”

Thank you to Eyerus, and the five other nursing students: Almaz, Hawa, Fatuma, Tsehay, and Haymanot for continuing to share your hard work and learning experiences with us. To our donors, thank you for supporting these students and the thousands of people they will one day serve. Together we can build a healthier world.

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