Work Hard, Play Hard!

Adam assisting one of the 300-level UDS students in learning how to intubate.

Published September 24, 2014, last updated on October 5, 2017 under Voices of DGHI

Lauren Hess, Lydia VanWormer & Adam Smith
Bass Connections

Duke and UDS faculty members spent the day ironing out curriculum details and planning, while distance-based students continued to familiarize themselves with the tablets. And… the power just went out again (while blogging about the day)…

Back to the happenings of earlier in the day… In another classroom, Duke CRNAs Adam Flowe and Laura Pace, along with SRNAs Adam, Lydia, and Lauren, facilitated an airway workshop with 200-level (first-year) anesthesia students. After basic airway anatomy and equipment was introduced, the students rotated through five hands-on stations. They learned the techniques of MAC and Miller blades, a bougie, LMAs, bag-valve ventilation, oral & nasal airways and airway assessment. The Ghanaian students were very receptive and their skills improved immensely throughout the workshop. They asked great questions and it was evident that their wheels were turning. The students were critically thinking and having many “ah-ha!” moments.

Later that day, UDS faculty took us on a tour of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH). We saw the Labor and Delivery ward, NICU, OR theaters, and ICU. They have two dedicated obstetric OR theaters and 5 main theaters. The NICU housed about fifteen babies with approximately ten incubators. Many of the babies had feeding tubes or were being fed breast milk by syringe. The theaters and peri-operative areas were well equipped in many ways, but still have a great need for resources. For example, Bair hugger machines are available, but the disposable blankets must be reused for multiple patients. We are very thankful to the UDS faculty and TTH staff for this experience.

To top off our day, distance-based students, UDS faculty, and our team met to share a nice dinner, raffle, and dancing at the UDS Guest House. The students really enjoyed receiving Duke and anesthesia prizes. Everyone likes free stuff! One of the UDS students acted as DJ, while another was emcee, calling out specific people to the dance floor to show off their moves. It was a wonderful night getting to know these students better and cutting loose after a long day’s work. 

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