A day at a Nicaraguan Hospital

Today I got to experience the Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua Hospital and Physical Therapy services. Dr. Byron toured Megan Kuhn and me around the hospital with maybe 50 beds in about 10 rooms. So yes if you are doing the math that’s 5 beds per room!! The conditions were horrible. I have never seen anything like it in healthcare. It had stray dogs wandering around in the hospital, people standing everywhere (sick and healthy people), people spitting where ever they pleased and since it’s in open air hallways flies and all kinds of bugs raided the entire place. Touring the pediatric ward they separated babies by their diagnosis of diarrhea, respiratory, or other. In their NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) we were instructed to put on a reusable smock and use alcohol gel for their sterile environment. Each baby had its own bed, but sometimes Doctor Byron said there could be 2 babies in each bed. Dr. Byron said its not unusual to see a 12-13 year old girl come in ready to give birth. In Puerto Cabezas there are approximately 15 babies born a day naturally and 6 born with a C-section.

In the Physical Therapy department there were 2 small rooms with only 2 treatment tables made out of an old mat table and a sheet reused. They did have Electrical Stimulation and Ultrasound with a Hydrocullator for moist hot packs. The Physical Therapist there, Elianna, was schooled in Managua and is to do 1 year of social service ordered by the Government. In Nicaragua if you are in a medical field you are ordered by the government to social service in a city of their choice for 1-2 years. Francisco our first patient was a right sided stroke with left sided paralysis and actually had a great return in his left side status post 1 month from his cerebrovascular accident. I instructed her on various techniques I utilize on my stroke patients in the US and educated her and Francisco’s family. The second patient as a knee patient that was complaining of lower leg pain with numbness along the outside of her leg down to her toes. I found out that she only owns sandals and has to walk up to 5 miles a day to work and even to her PT appointment today. These patients come in 1 time a week and are educated to do a lot of home exercises and stretches because of the lack of PT attention. There is actually a lot of need for PT supplies in Puerto Cabezas with a lot of congenital deficits and lack of knowledge.

Seeing this hospital today makes me thank GOD everyday for the blessings he has put in my life. I can go to work and order an MRI or basically order any kind of “luxury” equipment to help a patient. I thank GOD for giving me this gift of Physical Therapy to be able to come down and assist Elianna in aiding her people. GOD has put us down here to spread the glory of his name. I question sometimes why he has blessed me. I see it right now as since I am so blessed I need to spread my blessings.

First day at hospital is in the books and for sure a memorable one. Cuan Grande es Dios! (How great is our GOD) Dios Te Bendiga! (God Bless)

Buenas Noches Estados Unidos,

Ryan Schultheis