I have not always wanted to be a nurse; however, the work of the humanitarian nurses that intervened during the earthquake that befell Haiti on January 12, 2010, inspired me to pursue this rewarding career. The nurses, most of them sponsored by global health organizations worked tirelessly to save the lives of those that had been injured and to counsel those that were in shock after losing loved ones in the disaster.
I still recall the devastation that ensued in the immediate aftermath. More than 200,000 people had lost their lives and 300,000 more injured (IASC, 2010). Among those dead were medical staffs. Most hospitals had been rendered non-functional, and those that were remaining had been overwhelmed. The scarcity of medical personnel resulted in a delay in treatment of serious injuries causing more deaths. Morgues were full, and still other bodies were stacked in the streets.
It was not certain how many people were buried under the rubble and the rescue operations were frustrated by the lack of appropriate equipment. There was severe damage to infrastructure and buildings. Destruction of the infrastructure made it difficult to access remote areas that had little access to healthcare. About 250,000 homes had been destroyed leaving millions crowded in unsanitary conditions (IASC, 2010).
Despite the fact that I could not be recruited as a volunteer by any organization, I keenly followed the humanitarian operations. One report that I vividly remember was when an expectant mother was in deep distress due to obstructed labor. She received assisted delivery from a nurses working with MSF and delivered a healthy baby boy. The nurse was lucky to have birthing kits, clean gloves, and sterilized blades from her organization. Though obstructed delivery is one of the leading causes of maternal and newborn mortality, both the mother and the child were safe. Rescuing the mother and the infant was incredible.
There were several other instances where nurses retrieved acute patients. However, thousands suffered psychological injuries. The shock was manifested by the panic on most people's faces. Most expressed the fear of rebuilding their lives due to the possibility that another earthquake would strike and kill them. As it were, over 1,000,000 had been displaced from their homes (IASC, 2010). Most of these displaced families settled on the streets while others were accommodated by communities in non-affected areas.
The volunteer nurses organized group counseling sessions, they helped the affected individuals to deal with emotional trauma and encouraged them to focus on the future. Many people that received the counseling felt that the world cared for them. They would be grateful to the nurse, and this helped in restoring their mental health.
The humanitarian response following the earthquake was extremely amazing. It helped to alleviate pain and suffering and prevented further loss of lives. In addition, it minimized the vulnerability of the affected individuals and hastened restoration of the dignity of the affected population. After this experience, I knew I wanted to be a nurse. I developed a deep desire to help others and care for those that are in need of urgent medical assistance.
Reference List
IASC. (2010). Response to the humanitarian crisis in Haiti. Retrieved from relief web: http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/B2987B3C2B0CB071852577600069D837-Full_Report.pdf
