Along with teaching the community we also spent two weeks in local clinics shadowing the nurses and doctors. In Ghana nurse midwives are primarily responsible for the majority of births. Since I am interested in one day being a nurse midwife I was eager for the chance to shadow these nurses. So one of the most exciting moments on the trip for me was watching the birth of this little baby boy.
The mother arrived at the hospital fully dilated and started natural labor. Unlike in America, the women in Ghana do not receive any pain medication during the labor process. The nurse noticed that the baby was face up and after consulting the doctor they decided the patient was in need of an emergency C-section. I helped ambulate the patient to the operating room and watch the doctor perform the surgery. Three hours later a healthy baby boy was born. It was such a blessing to be a part of this birth. I learned so much from the midwives. I am excited to compare my experience in Ghana with my upcoming OB clinical.
All in all, my experience studying abroad in Ghana was fantastic and I truly believe it will make me a better nurse one day!
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McKinsea spent the Summer 2018 term in Ghana with our U of A Faculty-Led: Community Health Nursing in Ghana program with the help of our our Office of Study Abroad Scholarship.
Don't miss your opportunity to study or intern abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/
