My REHPS experience so far has been fantastic! Britton, SD has welcomed us into their community with open arms. On day 1, they welcomed us to the hospital with a welcome basket full of information on local businesses and town gatherings we could attend. We got a tour of the hospital and clinic where many smiling faces told us about how they each uniquely contributed to the small community.
Emily and I get to start every morning off by having breakfast with the residents in the Assisted Living. It has been a wonderful experience to get to know them and hear the stories they have to share from their past. The first week I got to spend some time in both the hospital and the clinic. Spending time with the nurses in the Marshall County Clinic was a great experience. I think knowing what they go through will help me better understand where the patient is coming from when they come to the pharmacy. Also, during the first week I got to spend some time in radiology with the radiology technicians.
During the second week I got to go on Home Health visits with the nurse. This was great to see how the community makes sure no one is forgotten, even if they can’t make it the hospital. During this week I also got to spend time with the pharmacist that works with the hospital to consult on medications, and it was great to spend time in the area that I am studying. The best experience we had during the second week was being able to tour the local colony. We got to spend some time with people that live there, and they answered questions and shared stories with us.
I have really enjoyed being able to see the different fields that are within healthcare. I am a strong believer that if you know what everyone else goes through, you will respect their time and decisions more. REHPS is a great way for young professional students to have these experiences
The second half of my experience in Britton, SD has been even better than the first half. During the last couple of weeks Emily and I have been busy shadowing at the hospital and clinic while also participating in community activities. I got to help out at the catholic church during their two time a year Indian Taco sale. This was my first time having fry bread, and it was really good! We ran out of the cinnamon sugar bread within the first hour!! I am going to put Indian tacos on my recipe list.
Emily and I got to spend an evening playing cards and having a margarita with some of the residents from Assisted Living. We played 5 Crowns and unfortunately Emily and I did not take home 1st place. We also got to help with the concession stand at little league baseball night and go to a Lions Club meeting with a member from the hospital.
Emily and I got to spend some time at the Britton Public Library helping with the summer reading program. Their theme for the summer is outer space and this week they focused on astronauts. There were 3 different age groups and they all got to read 2 stories and do a craft. During one of the age groups we made rocket packs that they could decorate and velcro to their backs. One boy told me he was going to ride his bike home with it on his back so that it would help him go faster.
During our last weekend here we went to the state park, Fort Sisseton, for Fort Days. This was a big celebration re-enacting the old days when Fort Sisseton was used during the war. Everyone was dressed up to play the role of the villagers and natives. We got to watch demonstrations of how cooking, living and traveling was done in those times. Everyone gets very excited to go visit Fort Sisseton during Fort Days and I am really glad we were able to experience that!
We also completed our project during the third week. Emily and I helped one of the hospital nurses, Toni, with a Stop the Bleed class. We held the class in Veblen, where they have a huge dairy operation. Emily and I were in charge of the hands on part of the class. This is where we showed everyone how to properly place a tourniquet and how to pack a wound with gauze. We also held the class at the hospital the next day for the public in Britton to attend.
I am sad that it is coming to an end. Everyone has been so welcoming that it feels like we should just be a part of the community and stay.