End of the Sri Lanka Mission

PFP Volunteer Carolyn Ramwell, MSN, RN, PNP, CNS, writes from our current mission in Sri Lanka.
______________________________
Dear All,

What a fantastic mission! Thank you to everyone who made it possible.

Don and I will be sending our report to Peggy who will add her information and put together the final edit. We finished 80% of the report in-country so we hope to have it available by Friday. There is a lot of data available and hopefully we can get the financial part as well. I have sent out the raw data for diagnosis and pharmacy.

We will be including photos of the people we met so it will make the meeting and greeting easier for the next team. We have identified 2 physician champions and one nurse champion thus far. A great start.

We would like to get a team photo together that can be framed and include hard copies of our photos for Erika and Bryan to take back as a gift for the staff. We will also have great photos of the Safari for the Director and Deputy Director. These photos will be great ice breakers. I think Peggy’s pins were the best hit. If you can bring more of the children’’s pins that would be good.

Erika, your cards and children’s code cards were distributed to several hospitals and really appreciated. Getting current guidelines is an issue there. They are working of the 2003 AHA, ACLS, PALs guidelines and could really utilize the updates. This would include the intensivest at Lady Ridgeway, MGH and another local hospital. The tertiary hospital (peds ) has 16 ventilators total! 1000 beds!
If you have any posters or laminated cards, they would be appreciated as well. If you can visit LRH I would really recommend it. I have the PICU contact.

One last thing, as we traveled a film crew followed us around. We have decided that Sanjay should be the next big Bollywood star.

–
Best Regards,
Carolyn

Sri Lanka – Heading Home

PFP Volunteer Carolyn Ramwell, MSN, RN, PNP, CNS, writes from our current mission in Sri Lanka.
______________________________

Dear All,

Well we are now back in Colombo getting ready to depart. It is amazing to be traveling internationally on one of the most beautiful islands in the world and spend most of your time in a hospital. We have seen Sri Lankan health care from the mobile unit to the tertiary pediatric center. The issues all remain the same: the need for more equipment or someone to repair what they have, more space, and more resources. The people here are so welcoming and lovely.

We did do some mandatory bonding with the deputy director and director of the hospital. This involved a trip to the elephant preserve, a rain-soaked adventure, and some johnny walker black label. I held the umbrella for the CEO and Peggy called out “Duck, trees!” Who says nurses don’t take care of the doctors?

This has been a fantastic whirlwind experience.

Again, thank you all for the opportunity for this mission.

–
Best Regards,
Carolyn, Don and Peggy

Sri Lanka – Day 3

PFP Volunteer Carolyn Ramwell, MSN, RN, PNP, CNS, writes from our current mission in Sri Lanka.
___________________________________

Dear All,

We are on day three of our mission and it has been very fruitful. Son is wonderful to have as a team member because he really understands the constraints of the hospital system. He has bonded with the Director and Deputy Director. Peggy and I are a good team because we are interested in opposite issues. Sanjay has been wonderful to work with and our host Lionel is fantastic.

We are staying on a bluff overlooking the Indian ocean. There are palm trees and peacocks everywhere. The weather is humid and hot with rain in the afternoon. We have had very full days and each day brings more familiarity and information with the host staff. The hospital is crowded and clinics are really full. The wards can run to 150% capacity. Today the team is off to see other sites and I am in the hospital to glean data.

Thank you all for your support on this mission and thank you for the opportunity to be involved in such important work.

–
Best Regards,
Carolyn

Arrival In Sri Lanka

PFP Volunteer Carolyn Ramwell, MSN, RN, PNP, CNS, writes from our current mission in Sri Lanka.
______________________________

Dear All,

After a great trip to London, and fantastic service on Air Sri Lanka, we are finally here. We were 23 hours in transit and arrived in Colombo at 3 am. The airport was hopping for that hour. Our gracious host, Lionel Jayaratne, Project Manager with World Children’s International (WCI), picked us up at 4 am and we drove the 4 hours to Matara. Our hotel is down a dirt road, past a cove with surfers and up a very steep hill. We are on top of a bluff looking out at the Indian Ocean. We saw sunrise as we drove in. We each have a cabana that looks out on the water. Basic but lovely.

We are very fortunate on this trip to have one of the founders of WCI on our trip. His passion and vision are truly inspiring.

After a lovely breakfast and quick nap, we were off to meet a Minister of Health and go to the new construction site of the hospital. It is really exciting to think in 24 months or so the campus will be complete.

Tonight we meet again to regroup and focus on our different missions in the morning.

Sri Lanka, beautiful people and beautiful beaches.

–
Best Regards,
Carolyn