Off to an idyllic destination with their Top of the South nursing compassion.
Six Whanake Youth nurses are winging their way to Samoa on 28 June for a 12-day appointment, aiding a community whose health resources, education, and promotion are a little scarcer.
Plans to scope treatments to the Pacific nation’s healthcare model by meeting with its Ministry of Health and staff at a local hospital are also marked in the diary.
The contingent comprises of Lee-Ann O’Brien, Jessica Irvine, Bex Beer, Amy Allan, Abbey Walbran, and Nikki Warren-Grant.
Lee-Ann says she and her nurse colleagues were invited to All Saint Anglican School in Apia for their imperative service after she’d conversed about the outcomes for Whanake Youth’s patients with its principal.
“She was super interested to have us come over to find out what’s going on for their children and young people. They have a school of around 300 children, from preschoolers through to age 12,” she says.
“We’ll be doing a whole range of different health promotion around dental health, making sure they know how to cough into their elbow and hands, also checking in around their vision and hearing.
“Then we’re going to be doing some teaching with some of the young females around menstruation… so we’re bringing over period products for the females and also toothbrushes and toothpaste as well.”
Lee-Ann says a first aid training course for the school’s 17 staff and a potential women’s health course would ensue.
“When we reflect on our healthcare system, knowing that I think there’s a lot of things lacking here, but in terms of our understanding we’ve got everything we need compared to what it appears to have in Samoa,” she says.
“In discussions with [the principal], they don’t have a first aid kit, so in terms of how they manage accidents and injuries on site is to take them to the hospital.
“It sounds like they haven’t had resources from their Ministry of Health to visit schools for probably 10 years plus.
“So, access seems to be a difficulty, or the services from their Ministry of Health, for whatever reason, don’t provide as much public healthcare services.”
Lee-Ann says a first aid kit will be gifted to the school and the overall trip won’t just provide a band-aid solution.
“The aim is for this to not just be a one-off, but to look at what we can do the next time and the next time after that,” she says.
“So it’s the beginning of a longer journey in terms of sustainable healthcare to really benefit young people and children.”
Toothbrushes, toothpaste, reusable period underwear or pads and financial support for the nurse’s travels can be donated to Whanake Youth up until 26 June.
