the effect of finals / day one

The last set of school examinations at Norwegian International School started June 19th, so I’m a day late, but I can recall my feelings as if it was just this morning. I’m a pretty good student (A*average), so exams don’t generally bring me stress. I do study, often a quick review the night or two before, and it was no different for today’s exam (Physics).

Except it was. I didn’t study at all for this one.

work experience week / day five

It started out boring. The last day, Mrs. Peters said, is for rotating around the wards. First it was the post-op wards. By "post-op" wards, I mean "post-C-Section" wards. Everyone there was a woman that had just  delivered, and something told me said surgery was the only one that took place here. Maybe an appendectomy once in a while.

The nurse that was supposed to be around left shortly after I arrived, to go to the operating room. (I don't know why. I would say she's a scrub nurse but I highly doubt that, as there were no scrub nurses in the operating room when I was there). This meant that my schoolmate and I were the ones that had to cater to the patients' needs.

work experience week / day four

Today was, by far, my favorite (so far).

It started with me in the folder room, as my supervisor was not around to show me where I would stay when I first arrived. I had some more interaction with the people from the folder room, who asked if I was going to be with them today. I said no as an act of faith. They were nice to hang out with I guess, but I was over paperwork.

I then saw Mrs Peters and was directed to the pharmacy. In the pharmacy I tried counting out the number of pills that would go in a prescription bottle, and failed miserably. I refused to use the curved edged of the spoon as it only confused me and using the narrow edge was incredibly painstaking. Luckily, I was then called to go to the operating room -- finally!

work experience week / day three

I was promised a viewing of a C-section this morning. That never happened. I guess the woman eventually refused the surgery or something. Anyways, today I was sent to immunization, with a number of the people there being new mothers and their newborn babies.

Again, I was to do paperwork, registering the babies for immunization. Most of the information came from the yellow booklets much like the one I filled out (I was hoping to see one filled out by me, but didn’t) on Monday, but I had to call out the babies’ names for their mothers and ask them what they fed their baby. (Breast milk only? Breast milk and water? Partial breastfeeding?). It took a couple of tries to get the hang of it, but from there it was pretty systematic.

The only problem encountered was when an illiterate woman

work experience week / day two

Well, today was more interesting, I'll admit (but not so interesting that I wasn't aware of the fact that the Year Elevens in my school were currently taking Math and later Biology IGCSE exams and how badly I wanted to be there).

I arrived ten minutes late and again the man whose name I do not know, greeted me and showed me to the maternity ward (great, more pregnant women). Immediately I came in, I heard shouts from a woman in a corner of the ward. Nobody seemed to be paying her any mind.  Most others were rolling around in pain, with the occasional moan or shout.

I was introduced to the midwives and nurses – there was not a doctor in sight – and they then immediately started rounds (I thank Grey’s Anatomy for giving me that vocabulary), which I thought pretty cool. Many of the women were uncomfortable, and the woman in the corner kept on shouting in Igbo. I did, however, notice that a woman in another corner was slowly sipping her tea, with a face that said “Thank God I’m not dealing with that.”

work experience week / day one

A horrible, horrible thing about having high hopes / expectations is the problem of having your hand fallen tremendously. Alright, from the beginning. I arrived at the hospital, and I and my dad said the same thing: "Is this a hospital?".

It really didn't look like a hospital. It was much too small, there were tents outside, and some benches outside as well as people waited for some sort of treatment, and a small building to the right said reception, where I was told to wait. Inside the hospital no better – I spotted at least three chickens roaming around.

I entered the reception, my dad following me, to see a few rows of long benches that were all once completely covered with faux leather, but now looked more like zebras, and a couple of single chairs up against the wall. Two people were lying down on two separate benches, sleeping I guess. I sat down, and my dad said goodbye. I wished myself good luck on his behalf.

work experience week / intro

Work Experience Week (organized by Norwegian international school for years 9 & 10) is meant to give us not just a peek, but a full view of the working lives of those in careers that we one day hope to be in. 

I submitted a small piece of paper that said "Neurologist" to Dr Tayo, my head teacher, when he came round a couple of months ago asking us what we wanted to be when we grew up. And while he couldn't find me a neurologist specifically to work under, he did send me to a hospital. 

I've been reassured that it's a nice hospital, but I'm not that sure, as not only have I never heard of it, the name just puts me off (Obio Cottage Hospital). However, my uncle works there (and, if I recall, is practically the boss), so if I have any problems I'll be sure to tell him. 

I have high expectations (I always do, but the constant disappointment affects me greatly) for the hospital, and what I'm going to do, and I'm rather excited -- not excited enough to want to go. I'd much rather be preparing for my IGCSE exams, but it seems that I'm out of luck. I don't know where to go from here or even if I'll be able to start IB this September, but I'm praying for a miracle.