Zarephath Reflection

During my past couple of weeks at Zarephath, I have continued to take vital signs and note patient symptoms and complaints, but I have additionally had the chance to be involved with the clerical aspect of patient care. I have learned that it is imperative to stay organized or one will quickly get overwhelmed—over three hundred patients equates to over three hundred files. Accidentally misplacing a single file can be pretty catastrophic; one time, this one patient’s file was not where it should have been alphabetically so I spent over 30 minutes looking for it with no luck. Essentially, if a volunteer there accidentally places a file in the wrong place, it is lost forever. The importance of organization in clinical care cannot be emphasized

enough.
Going to Zarephath regularly has given me the opportunity to grow closer to some of the patients. For example, one patient who I regularly see used to be a nurse and tells me about the interesting medical experiences he has had. Who knew that the medical knowledge I would gain would not come solely from the doctors or volunteers there! I talk to him about EMT calls I have been on and my college search. He gives me advice as I plan on also pursuing a career in the medical field. In addition, many patients bring their toddlers and young children who are always fun to play with. One patient brought her son in to be a translator as she spoke solely Spanish. It is interesting to think about how many of the children growing up in this community will be bilingual.
Another startling aspect of medicine that I have become more familiar with is the recreational use prescription medication and addiction to it. Listening to the doctors talk with patients coming in to refill a script has shown the doctor’s concern that the patient could become addicted to the drug, or worse is already addicted. Sometimes the patient specifically requests a drug which is renowned to be addicting or used recreationally in which case the doctor hesitates to prescribe that medication. In addition, some of the regular patients who have come in have requested refills on a medication in a suspiciously close time intervals. Overall, the vast majority of the patients who come into Zarephath are responsible with their use of medication but there are a couple of patients of whom I am suspicious.
So far interning at Zarephath has taught me medical knowledge, honed my organizational skills and allowed me to meet new people. I am looking forward to what future weeks bring.