A patient was brought in the front door of SMS Hospital on a steel stretcher. He was one of 4,000 patients seen that day in the government hospital in Jaipur. We were met by Dr Randawat, Deputy Superintendent and Chief of Surgery. We toured triage where patients were sorted by age. Most patients were high risk OB with anemia. The principal admitting diagnosis, though, was cardiac. We removed our shoes in the ICU where we saw high technology monitoring and ventilators. Most of the nurse managers were male, but opportunities and recognition for women are increasing.
The school of nursing was a few blocks away. The director, a Psych Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), met us in the classroom. She explained the various levels of program, including those of the maters and doctoral levels. She stated that tuition in the government school is all paid by the government. She mentioned their faculty shortage and that there are plenty of clinical experience in the hospital. Their students do not need to use labs for practice in the school.
The overwhelming volume of patients was accompanied by an equal abundance of patience, hope, and gratitude among those receiving compassionate care.
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