What I am actually doing?

Lately this question has come up, so I will do my best to describe what nursing related things I am doing here in Kenya.

So the centre I volunteer at is a community centre that has an outpatient clinic, nutrition counseling, VCT, antenatal clinic, child welfare clinic, pharmacy and ... I think that's it.

I mainly work in the antenatal and child welfare clinics, which run on Monday and Thursday (lack of resources prevent these clinics from running everyday). Here, mothers will come in to get essential medicines like folic acid and ferrous sulphate (iron), along with malaria prophylaxis pills, deworming and tetanus toxoid injections (only when they are available, which isn't that often). The children come in to get weighed and given immunizations at the appropriate times.

What has fascinated me the most at the antenatal clinic is that all new expectant mothers who come in must get tested for HIV for the purposes of the prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT). This kind of transmission of HIV from mother to baby is the leading cause of pediatric HIV cases in Kenya, and perhaps in other parts of Africa as well. With most of the new mothers coming in falling between the ages of 17-24, the issue is very complex. Most women at this age have left school because they are pregnant, and are married because of their pregnancy. The issue lies in a lack of education, fear of stigma and discrimination, belief in misconceptions, and general lack of awareness of PMTCT.

What I am working on for my assignment (learning plan) is how to increase awareness about PMTCT for women of child bearing age, and especially those falling between the ages of 15-24. So far I have learned a lot about PMTCT, but the issue is so culturally embedded that it is hard for me to fully understand and make sense of. In additon, the nursing role is so different here that is it hard for my preceptor to fully understand where I am coming from and guide me in what I want to learn.

It is frustrating to not know what to do about something, or to feel that you can't really do anything about something because it is so heavily accepted as the way it is, or the way of life. But I am trying to stay true to who I am and what I have learned so far.

Anyways just wanted to give everyone an update. I'm sure if you come to the September international/outpost presentations you will hear more about what I learned/am still learning about PMTCT.