Ghana 2012 - Sarah Barton Student Child Branch

Sarah1 I undertook my elective placement in Ghana, Africa for 5 weeks April- May 2012. I spent my first 4 weeks working at Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital (2 weeks on the paediatric ward and 2 weeks on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and my final week living in a village and working at the Community Clinic. The experience that I gained from travelling to Ghana allowed me to see a different nursing culture, how medical teams cope with lack of resources and the true African culture. Some illnesses and conditions that I saw in Ghana were tuberculosis, malaria, tetanus, gastroenteritis, pneumonia, cancer, meningitis and sickle cell anaemia.
Every Thursday after work, the students and staff from the work the world house would have a BBQ with traditional African dancing and drumming – it was so much fun and allowed us to embrace true Africa! In my free time I went travelling around Ghana. I visited an old slavery fort, a national park, a stilt village, a few beaches and a canopy walk in the jungle.
I would recommend to every nursing student to undertake an elective placement abroad and don’t be worried about going alone, the staff from the house are so friendly and the Ghanaian people are so welcoming. It will change your view on healthcare and it will make you develop both personally and professionally. I will always remember my elective placement as an experience that I will never forget.

Please click here to read more about Sarah's elective placement experience.

Sarah2

Sarah3