Home Visits
I was so excited to be able to do home visits; they were unlike anything else we did in Grenada because we were actually seeing people within their own living conditions. I think that seeing people in their homes can give a lot of insight into one’s health. We were able to sit down with each person and check blood pressure, blood sugar, and conduct breast exams. We were able to give practical health tips and in several cases, reiterate medication compliance. In one home, a daughter had a very high blood sugar; further conversation uncovered that the girl was
aware she had diabetes, but didn’t want to take medication. We were able to talk to her about the importance of her medicine and she seemed less scared to take it by the time we left.
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Overall, I expected for people to be skeptical or resistant to receiving health education. However, there was little resistance from the people we were talking to; most of them were actually very grateful. At one point, we had people even seeking us out to have their health checked.
At one point, I was checking a woman’s blood pressure and her young daughter was watching. Fascinated, she asked what I was doing and why. In explaining to her that I was going to be a nurse, she told me, “Oh! Then when I grow up I want to be a nurse like you and help people too.” I was really touched by this comment, and it was a good reminder of why I am doing what I do.