Bringing respiratory care to asthma clinics in Guyana
Study abroad and respiratory care
Then the vision of my project began, because I needed to show him the scope of the practice of a respiratory therapist. I asked Dr. Heyliger-Thomas of BGMM if she could assist me in promoting a study abroad program in Guyana with the Ministry of Health. It was very important for me to bring my students to Guyana for many reasons, the most important being the profession was needed there, and our students would be excellent representatives.
In 2015, the study “Introduction of spirometry into clinical practice in Georgetown, Guyana: quality and diagnostic outcomes” highlighted increased physician referral to the country’s only COPD/asthma clinic. I wanted to promote the importance of study abroad and international mission work, especially when promoting the care of asthma and the pulmonary patient, which I believe we did. The main project during study abroad was to test the school-aged children in Linden, thereby showing that there was undiagnosed asthma.
The 2 days that we were in Linden brought the largest sign-up for their clinic. When we did our screening at Mackenzie High School, we were able to utilize the portable spirometers and printer purchased by the CHEST Foundation community service grant. We are still collecting data, but the one thing that was revealed was the difficulty in obtaining medication for the treatment of asthma and COPD in some areas.
This project was also a learning experience for our students in many ways: in how they performed their interviews, how the culture affected the way their patients answered their questionnaires, and even how they performed on the tests. The value to the student and the individual of working within a different culture, far away from the norms of North America, allows them to appreciate their patients, the work they do, and their interprofessional team in a whole new light.
I want this experience to have an impact on each student’s life. You are a teacher, an instructor, a mentor, professor, and much more when traveling with 10 students. The most satisfying moment is the transformation you see in them. They are no longer timid and unsure of themselves; they have greater confidence in their abilities and a deeper understanding of the needs of a patient. They finally understand the importance of culture as it pertains to health care.
