Latest update April 24th, 2024 12:59 AM
Sep 06, 2020 News
By Enid Joaquin
It is not easy losing a parent at a young age, and some children never quite overcome such a traumatic event. However, while for some facing up to the pressures of the real world after such a loss might be overwhelming, there are those that build resilience as a consequence and come out stronger with the determination to succeed.
One such young man, is Nurse Orande Roland, our Frontline worker of the Week. He lost his father, Godfrey Roland, at the tender age of 15. The tragic loss might have broken many an adolescents, but not this one!
In a recent interview, Roland told me the heartrending story of losing his father at a time when he needed him the most. He recalled feeling helpless and not being able to do anything to save him, and then ultimately, how the loss propelled him into pursuing a career in health care.
“My inspiration to get into the medical field came from losing my dad, when I was much younger. I felt basically handicapped because I couldn’t give him the medical care he needed…I could give him love as a son, but I was unable to help him, and that is something I thought that I could change….So my inspiration basically came from my devastation.”
A TRAINED NURSE
Roland has now been operating in the health sector for eight years, following his training at the Charles Roza School of nursing.
He was initially attached to the Linden hospital complex, where he worked for six years, prior to his transfer to the Upper Demerara Hospital (UDH) two years ago.
Interestingly, despite his love for the medical field, Roland did not start out in that sector but rather at the National Communications Network (NCN) as a technical operator. There he was responsible for graphic designs for news and other programmes.
But he soon quit to pursue his first love.
FRONTLINE
Currently a frontline worker, stationed at the UDH or Wismar Hospital in the mining town of Linden, Nurse Roland is part of the team of health workers chosen to render the requisite care and attention to those persons seeking medical intervention, at the health facility.
With the coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc globally, the UDH was earlier this year identified to accommodate patients from Linden and other areas in Region 10 in need of isolation.
As a consequence, a few of the services that were initially offered at the facility such as paediatric care, maternal health and tuberculosis treatment were transferred to the Mackenzie Hospital.
However, there are still other outpatient services available in the hospital’s Accident and Emergency unit.
STIGMATIZATION
But Roland noted that with the hospital being identified as a COVID-19 isolation unit, there has been a reduction in patients, seeking medical attention there for common ailments.
He attributed this to the “stigmatization” that has hung like a dark cloud, over the facility over the years…first with HIV and tuberculosis, and now with the institution functioning as a COVID-19 facility.”
He was however quick to point out that patients entering the hospital are not automatically diagnosed as COVID-19 positive. He elaborated, “during training we were taught two types of data – subjective data and objective data. Subjective data is data that you basically have, which includes patient’s history….and you would notice all of that on their card, and it includes prior visits, etc. While objective data is what you as a nurse would gather through observation of the patient. You observe their posture, when they come in, their breathing patterns, their vital signs and so on thus when any patient comes to the hospital, we don’t isolate, or just deem them CoVID,” Nurse Roland explained.
“Yes, we know that COVID is everywhere, and sometimes it does not present with signs and symptoms, which we call asymptomatic, but we still consider that there might be a possibility, that there might be another condition, or another reason that brings patients to the hospital,” he went on to note.
Moreover, instead of alienating them or becoming over protective, Nurse Roland said, “we treat everyone the same. But as nurses we protect ourselves…we wear our PPE’s which is our protective gear – our full suit, our masks, goggles and gloves.”
Once fully geared, Roland, a nurse on the frontline in our nation, then proceeds with tasks such as random testing of patients’ temperature, recording of their history including where they came from, followed by questions about their reason for the visit.
FEARLESS
Fear does not enter into the scheme of things for Nurse Roland, who revealed that he sometimes has a feeling of “invincibility” as a professional health worker as he observes all the precautionary measures, to safeguard himself against COVID-19.
His advice to his fellow Guyanese is to do the same, that is, practice routine hand-washing and sanitizing, social distancing and wear a face mask once in public. Apart from protecting yourself, Nurse Roland noted that these measures can also serve to protect others.
This certainly is sound advice at a time when the number of COVID-19 cases in Guyana has surpassed 1,400 and our neighbour, Brazil, has recorded more than four million cases.
The very altruistic Nurse Roland intends to do his part to help keep the number of positive cases down, and he is optimistic that other persons will do their part too.
“This job has taught me altruism, which is selflessness, or putting other people first!” said Nurse Roland.
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