April 2013 Update

Hello everyone,

We hope this update finds you all enjoying Spring weather. We would again like to thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Without you we would not be able to sponsor as many students as we do. Also, we hope you know that the students and their families will never forget your generosity. You not only touch their lives but that of their neighbors and the entire community. You bring encouragement and hope. You encourage other young women to dream and to reach beyond their current situations.

I would like to share an email we received recently from a student we sponsored and who graduated from KCMC in 2011:

“It is very long since we communicated but i hope that you are all doing ok.To my side am fine i thank God greatly for everything. May you be blessed abundantly for the good work you did in supporting me in college.Am now at least somebody in the community and i can now manage my daily bread and also support my family my dears. May God always be on your side and add you more. Finaly i am very sory for the silence as it wasn’t my wish.Love you and miss you all.THANKS IN ADVANCE.”

Before going to our student emails I would like to share some news from KCMC and Tukuyu.

What’s Happening at KCMC?

• KCMC has been chosen to be “A Center for Excellence in Nursing” and has received funds to build extra classrooms, increase their library, and upgrade their Skills Lab
• Juliet Chugulu, principal of KCMC school of nursing, has retired. She is greatly loved and will be missed by all.
• Three of our sponsored students just returned from two weeks in Sweden on an exchange program (A total of 12 went from KCMC).

What’s Happening at Tukuyu?

• Five students in Tukuyu graduated in March and have taken their national exams. Results are not out yet. (Tukuyu is on a March to March school year while KCMC is Sept to Sept.)
• Ellen, the principal Tony met last year, has retired. Her replacement is Nolasca, and we  look forward to working with her.

Below are a sampling of our student emails. Each email that we receive is answered by our board member Judy Conway. Judy is a retired nurse practitioner and does a great job interacting with the students.

A third year student at KCMC:

“Its my hope that you are all fine.My self i am fine together with all my friends.My mom and my young sisters and my brothers and my friends are doing fine.I am continuing well with my studies. Last week i had rotation at theatre depurtment and there i learn much concerning surgical conditions and surgeries they did.Some of condition i see was patient who was sufffering lung cancer and the patient under going procedure of lobectomy.another one was suffering cholecystitis with gallstone and she undergoing surgery of cholecystectomy. i see other surgeries such as amputation, nephrectomy and craniotomy.I learn indications of various conditions undergoing surgery ,pre operative cares intra operative care and post operative cares given to such patients and the managements.This week i am at block study for one week and next week we will seat for semester examinations.we will start with practical examintions followed by theory examinations from 13th March to 15th March and each day two exams except one day we will seat for midwifery examination.”

Graduating in March, this student has taken her National Exams and is awaiting results:

“HALLO.I hope your doing well, on my side I’m physically and mentally fit.

I was rotating in maternity ward , here I enjoyed conducting twins delivery for the woman who was gravid 2 para 1, she delivery male baby with 2.7kg apgar score 9/10 and female bay with 2.6kg apgar score 8/10 without tear. Both babies got BCG 0.05 mls each, During post natal period the woman was found have eclampsia with the following signs BP 150/100 mmHg, Oedema on ankles , protenuria. Management which done to the mother was to give magnesium sulphate 4mg in 120mls of NS start 4mg intramuscular 8hrly in 24 hours also nifedipine and methyldopa was given to the mother to relieve BP After 3days the condition of the mother was improved . Mother was encouraged on exclusive breast feeding, maintain nutrition status, use family planning , danger signs to both babies and mother, coring of the baby and attending RCH clinic for examination and vaccination Now the mother was discharged.

Also the results of mock examination are as follows General nursing practical 71 grade B, Midwifery practical 78 grade A, leadership and management 88.5, Midwifery III 90 grade A, research 60.5 grad c and mental health Nursing 55.5 grad c. Now I ‘m preparing for National examination.

Thanks”

A third year student at KCMC:

“Hello my friends!!

It is my hope that you are doing fine, to my side everything is well and good!

In the first two weeks of this March, we were doing end of semester practical exams. I did my general nursing practical exam in the medical ward. This ward admit patients with conditions that are treated with medications and physical therapy thus no operative procedures in this department. The common conditions in this ward are diabetic mellitus, high blood pressure, HIV/AIDS, Pneumonia, Malaria,Tuberculosis. This was my third rotation in this ward since I rotated when I was year one and also in year two. Therefore I was familiar with the ward and I did some procedures such as catheterization, bed bath and ward round. During my examination I was given the procedure of administering parenteral medication. I administered ampicilin 1gm intravenous to adult patient who was suffering from Anaemia with HIV/AIDS. I did the exam to my level best and I hope for good results which we shall be given soon.

I did my midwifery practical at Majengo Health Centre. this was my second rotation in this department, the first rotation I was in year two. My exam was immunization of a child with aged 6 weeks. I provided oral polio vaccine 2drops – vaccine against poliomyelitis, Rotavirus 1 orally – vaccine against diarrhoea, DPT 1 Intramuscular – vaccine against diptheria, whooping cough, pertusis, hepatis B, meningitis and PCV intramuscular – Vaccine against Pneumonia. I gave health education to the mother and remind her the date to come for further immunizations. The examination was fair. I was interested with the staff cooperation.

In the third week of this month we were doing written examination which were also fair. At the end of the exams we started our breather.

In the fourth week of this month we were in breather and I went to my uncle in Dares salaam, The holiday was good and enjoyable, I was happy to see my family and my friends! All the family members were fine and were happy to see me after some months, I was happy too. At the end of the breather we came back to school, and we are now in the clinical areas. I am now at Matron’s office. I hope you have a nice day! I love you all!!”

A third year student at KCMC:

“i’m doing fine especially in my studies.

By now we are finished our block study of one week. Now we are on preparation of end of semester examination ,which we are going to start on Monday.We start with practical then next week written its for two weeks.

When we are in the class we learn about Dialyisis which is the methood of remove a toxic sabustance in body.And we see two type of it Haemodialyis and peritonial dialysis.But in our hospital we practice only Peritonial dialyisis and the indication of this Dialysis is for the patient with ,Acute Renal Failure(kidney failure) Oedema,Chronic hypertension.But this is not a total cure but prolong life for a certain time.

I’ m hope i shall do well in my exam’s,because a good preparation prevent bad perfomance as my plan for this semester.Prey for us, great your daughter miss to see them, when will you come with them?

WISH YOU GOOD WEEKEND !” 

Graduated from Tukuyu in March, this student is awaiting exam results:

“Hello Friends

Hope your doing fine, me I’m ok and doing fine in my studies. I have been at peadeiatric ward for two weeks. I enjoyed to care for babies. I was interest to care the baby who suffering from severe pneumonia and malnutritions. The child represent features like high body temperature, dysponea, nasal flaring pitting oedema to lower limbs, moon face , anemia and diarrhorea . She treated with antibiotic such injection Benzyl penicillin 1.0 mu gentamycin 20 mg bd for five days and F-75 . Also she was administer oxygen therapy 2 litres in order improve breathing and I ,V Ringer lactate . He transfused blood after HB checked and found 3.0 gldl. Also X-ray checked and reveled severe pneumonia. But the condition of child never improve even if she is given above antibiotics. We call the Dr to seen the child and add another drug such as ceftriaxone and quinine injection 100mg for in 8hrly for 48 hrs in five percentage Dextrose . After given ceftriaxone and quinine the condition of the child improve.

I was very happy after seen the child improved. Result of mock examination as follows midwifery – 70, leadership and management 72.1, mental heath – 57, Research , epidemiology and biostatic 60 midwifery practical 62.5, general nursing practically- 61

Also would like to informed you that this month will do final examination. Thanks , god blessing you.”

A first year student Tukuyu–we start her sponsorship next year:

“Hallow my friends!

How are you doing? But it is my hope that you are doing fine back to my side in doing fine especially in my studies . 

I was in block studies for five month , during my block studies period I learn many things related to curriculum. On anatomy and physiology I learnt about structures and its functions in human body I know now about the skeleton as the bony frame work of the body , Heart as the vital organ for pumping blood on Nursing and Ethics I learnt about the ethics of the nurse, history of nursing, founder of nursing as Nightingale, Florence and I leant some procedures like Bed making , vital signs, Admission and discharge of the patient, Dusting and moping, on infection, Prevention and control I leant about how to be free from micro-organism causing diseases by hand washing, using personal protective equipments as a nurse to prevent my self and my patients on communication skills I leant about haw to communicate with the patient/client and co- workers , verbally and non-verbally, how to create and maintain good relationship with patient/client or co-worker . On nutrition I learnt about different types of food required by the body mostly I know the miasmas and kwashiorkor and how to prevent them. 

Now we are clinical Area for practice about two weeks I learnt many things and I saw many patient with different diseases I’m in male ward which has top ten diseases including preumonia, Diarrhoea, enteric fever, severe malaria, clinical malaria , head injury, Hypertension , Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Epilepsy, Anaemia with their top ten drug:- Quinine, Artemether lumefactrine (ALU) Benzyle penicillin (x-pen), chloramphenical, Diclofenac , metronidazole Gentamycine, paracetamol contrimoxazole and Amoxilline I’m interested with my studies for both practicle and theory and I realize that I am a real nurse and I will be competent nurse as the days go on. I’m preparing on my end of semester exams which will be on April”

Again, thank you for your support and many blessings to all of you.

Linda van Werkhooven, President

Tanzania Nursing Scholarship Program, Inc.