We are doing complex orthopedic
pediatric surgical procedures . In
addition to doing these procedures , we
are also exercising our anesthesia
skill set as well as performing blocks
for the patients for pain relief and
pain control search procedures . How we
seamlessly came together with the
Honduran providers , the US navy
providers and was able to go into the
or and take care of the patients like
we've been doing this for years
this week , we are doing orthopedic
pediatric surgeries in the local
community . I am the circulating nurse .
So I am the person that is not scrubbed
in in the procedure . I can get the
surgeons whatever they need . Um I take
notes on when they start the procedure
when they end tourniquet time . Um I
make sure all the Celts are correct ,
the sponges needles . Um Anything
anesthesia needs . I'm happy to assist
in the future . I'll be able to assist
the surgeons because I'll know what
they need . Um And how I can best the
system . Seeing the outcomes of the
surgeries on the Children have been
great . I'm happy to get back to the
community . Um People that really need
it .
We decided that these missions are so
valuable to Navy medical deploying
teams that we wanted that opportunity
to be carried in the future . So that
some of the impact that we felt we had
could be something that future
residents and navy medical officers ,
navy nurse corps officers , poor men
could experience a lot of those
adventures that happen . A new location .
That's austere without resources , we
can't mimic back home . Even with our
very trusted and valued civilian
military partnerships . At some of the
big centers in the United States . You
can't mimic austerity , limited
resources and partnerships with a
foreign country and a joint task force .
So it means a lot that we're able to
come down here and work with them from
the moment we arrived . And I think one
of the most valued things from this
mission was seeing how quickly we just
started working together in the same
operating room that they trust us
immediately as partners and even our
goals in medicine of , of working
together with other colleagues and
sharing our knowledge . And so um these
are missions that are unique because we
can't replicate this environment in a
simulated space .
We're doing pediatric orthopedic ,
global health engagement with the
Honduran um locals at the hospital .
I think everything that we did here is
going to be helpful for going back even
watching different dissection
techniques . So we did deformity
correction and she ended up with a
nearly straight leg which was the same
length as the other side . Um , so
immediately gratifying for us ,
immediately gratifying for her and her
family because they can look down at a
splint and see her leg is straight
where before it was 45 degrees
angulated . So it's been amazing . I
feel like immediately we were able to
work , um , side by side and jump in
together no matter what day it was .
The clinic day . I , I went through
around 20 patients with , um three
different providers and um we would
just go back and forth and I would go
see their patients with them and see
what was indicated for our mission . Um
And then once in the operator , we work ,
I worked with the same three surgeons
and I applied to do HPSP . I actually
talked about being on the comfort and
doing global health engagement . And so
I think being in the Navy gives you the
opportunity to serve more than just
yourself , more than just your
neighbors , but also your country and
the whole world and getting to do that
as a medical provider is pretty special .
I think one of the other things that I
thought was really special was how
stoic and brave all the Children were
here . They were so impressive
either pre-op during going into the
operating room or post op . They were
so sweet , barely complained ,
complained of pain .