Holistic health care in rural India
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From the Journal Associates Holistic health care in rural IndiaIn January 2012, staff and students from the Canberra campus of the Australian Catholic University visited the Holy Family Hansenorium, a rural health-care facility in Tamil Nadu, southern India, during a one-week immersion experience. The group, from the schools of nursing and social work, saw holistic care provided by health-care professionals and assistants to people whose lives had been changed by debilitating illnesses – in most cases Hansen’s disease (leprosy), HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis. The experience was both confronting and inspiring. Social work student Linda Norris reflected that she was confronted by the challenges patients faced with access- ing adequate medical care when basic needs, such as food and employment, were a priority. The group observed primary health care, community care, acute and long-term care, and rehabilitation ser- vices. Health promotion activities targeted disease pre- vention, especially of sexually transmitted diseases. Community services, provided by nurses, included administering oral medications to villagers from outlying areas and to the orphans who lived at the Hansenorium. The group also witnessed villagers attending the hos- pital for medical and nursing assessment and care, pathology and ultrasound services, minor procedures and medications. Heidi, a second-year nursing student, was particularly surprised to see that natural and herbal remedies were the first-line treatment for conditions such as eczema, migraines and allergic reactions. Hospital inpatient care included palliative care and a program for the treatment of alcohol dependence. The obstetric clinic and witnessing the birth of a baby by caesarean section were particularly interesting. Ashley, a third-year nursing student, commented that she felt privileged to be included in an intimate moment in the mother’s life. Heidi shared the sentiment but was also mindful that the staff were working under a constant threat of power outages. Every morning, the group observed the routine of long-term patients soaking major skin lesions resulting from Hansen’s disease (usually on the feet) in salty water, after which the lesions were debrided, cleaned and swabbed. Both nurse academics recalled using the clinic’s basic supplies – sodium bicarbonate, mercuro- chrome, gentian violet, eusol and sitz baths – in their training in the 1970s. Ashley reflected on the strong sense of community, which was greater than she had experienced or observed in Western cultures and which demonstrated the holistic care provided by the Hansenorium. Some of those who attend to dressings and help out in the clinic are themselves people with Hansen’s disease. After their recovery, some patients remain there because their dis- figurements are accepted, rather than return to their villages. Long-term residents tend the Hansenorium’s rice fields and dairy cattle to provide food and milk to patients, staff and guests. The chief boot maker, who has a below-knee amputation, makes special footwear designed to avoid pressure on healing wounds. Women spin cotton and hand-weave beautiful fabrics to raise funds for the community. The group’s time at the Hansenorium was an amazing, enlightening and unforgettable immersion experience. The authors would like to acknowledge the National Rural Health Alliance for its donation of a large number of 2012 calendars, which now decorate many walls in rural Tamil Nadu. Margaret McLeod, RN, RM, Cert MidMan, BA (SocWel), GradDip (MH), MA (HSM), PhD 1 Margaret Boyes, RN, RM, BA Soc Sci(Hons), M(Bioethics), Cert IV (T&L), 1 Linda Norris, 2 Ashley Maher 3 and Heidi Welsh 3 1 School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine (Signadou Campus), 2 Bachelor of Social Work student, 3 Bachelor of Nursing student, Australian Catholic University, ACT, Australia E-mail: [email protected] Aust. J. Rural Health (2012) 20, 167 © 2012 The Authors Australian Journal of Rural Health © National Rural Health Alliance Inc. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2012.01278.x
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Transcript of Holistic health care in rural India
From the Journal Associates
Holistic health care in rural Indiaajr_1278 167
In January 2012, staff and students from the Canberracampus of the Australian Catholic University visited theHoly Family Hansenorium, a rural health-care facilityin Tamil Nadu, southern India, during a one-weekimmersion experience. The group, from the schools ofnursing and social work, saw holistic care provided byhealth-care professionals and assistants to people whoselives had been changed by debilitating illnesses – inmost cases Hansen’s disease (leprosy), HIV/AIDS ortuberculosis.
The experience was both confronting and inspiring.Social work student Linda Norris reflected that she wasconfronted by the challenges patients faced with access-ing adequate medical care when basic needs, such asfood and employment, were a priority.
The group observed primary health care, communitycare, acute and long-term care, and rehabilitation ser-vices. Health promotion activities targeted disease pre-vention, especially of sexually transmitted diseases.Community services, provided by nurses, includedadministering oral medications to villagers fromoutlying areas and to the orphans who lived at theHansenorium.
The group also witnessed villagers attending the hos-pital for medical and nursing assessment and care,pathology and ultrasound services, minor proceduresand medications. Heidi, a second-year nursing student,was particularly surprised to see that natural and herbalremedies were the first-line treatment for conditionssuch as eczema, migraines and allergic reactions.
Hospital inpatient care included palliative care and aprogram for the treatment of alcohol dependence. Theobstetric clinic and witnessing the birth of a baby bycaesarean section were particularly interesting. Ashley, athird-year nursing student, commented that she feltprivileged to be included in an intimate moment in themother’s life. Heidi shared the sentiment but was alsomindful that the staff were working under a constantthreat of power outages.
Every morning, the group observed the routine oflong-term patients soaking major skin lesions resulting
from Hansen’s disease (usually on the feet) in saltywater, after which the lesions were debrided, cleanedand swabbed. Both nurse academics recalled using theclinic’s basic supplies – sodium bicarbonate, mercuro-chrome, gentian violet, eusol and sitz baths – in theirtraining in the 1970s.
Ashley reflected on the strong sense of community,which was greater than she had experienced or observedin Western cultures and which demonstrated the holisticcare provided by the Hansenorium. Some of thosewho attend to dressings and help out in the clinic arethemselves people with Hansen’s disease. After theirrecovery, some patients remain there because their dis-figurements are accepted, rather than return to theirvillages. Long-term residents tend the Hansenorium’srice fields and dairy cattle to provide food and milk topatients, staff and guests. The chief boot maker, who hasa below-knee amputation, makes special footweardesigned to avoid pressure on healing wounds. Womenspin cotton and hand-weave beautiful fabrics to raisefunds for the community.
The group’s time at the Hansenorium was anamazing, enlightening and unforgettable immersionexperience.
The authors would like to acknowledge the NationalRural Health Alliance for its donation of a large numberof 2012 calendars, which now decorate many walls inrural Tamil Nadu.
Margaret McLeod, RN, RM, Cert MidMan, BA(SocWel), GradDip (MH), MA (HSM), PhD1
Margaret Boyes, RN, RM, BA Soc Sci(Hons),M(Bioethics), Cert IV (T&L),1 Linda Norris,2
Ashley Maher3 and Heidi Welsh3
1School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine(Signadou Campus),
2Bachelor of Social Work student,3Bachelor of Nursing student, Australian Catholic
University, ACT, AustraliaE-mail: [email protected]
Aust. J. Rural Health (2012) 20, 167
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© 2012 The AuthorsAustralian Journal of Rural Health © National Rural Health Alliance Inc. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2012.01278.x
