On March 13th, 2017 Shelby S. and I were in the inpatient unit. The inpatient unit had 11 patient beds and ages of all ages can be admitted there. This is something that I am not used to because in Duluth we have larger hospitals with specialized units for various ages and health problems. Something that was very different was the fact that they still use paper charting. I found that this method of charting was extremely cumbersome and prone to errors (messy handwriting, no warning pop ups, delayed care due to lack of up to date information). The shift was consistent with other med-surg clinicals I have had in the past. An important thing to realize with the Native Alaskan population of this area is that they rely heavily on body language for communication. For example, they use a subtle eyebrow raise to indicate a yes or a no. Additionally, they may refrain from answering a question if they feel it is too personal. Another important thing to consider is that hospital food may not be culturally appropriate. At this hospital, they do their best to provide culturally appropriate foods for the patients such as salmon or other types of fish. This was a helpful reminder that each patient I have should be asked about cultural preferences and wishes.
After our shift at the hospital, we went to our second pot luck of the week at the local church. This potluck included many community members such as Ernie and Martin (who we met earlier in the week), one of the public health nurses, and other elders. I really liked that the elders were highly respected in the community and that their stories meant so much to the people. The food at the potluck was yummy! We had reindeer stew, pilot bread, salmon spread (my favorite dish!), shiifish, mixed veggies, oranges and chocolate cake. The food was delicious and everyone was extremely welcoming. After dinner, a group of people played the drums and danced for us. I loved that each dance had a story to go with it!
After our shift at the hospital, we went to our second pot luck of the week at the local church. This potluck included many community members such as Ernie and Martin (who we met earlier in the week), one of the public health nurses, and other elders. I really liked that the elders were highly respected in the community and that their stories meant so much to the people. The food at the potluck was yummy! We had reindeer stew, pilot bread, salmon spread (my favorite dish!), shiifish, mixed veggies, oranges and chocolate cake. The food was delicious and everyone was extremely welcoming. After dinner, a group of people played the drums and danced for us. I loved that each dance had a story to go with it!