After a year of working as a Staff Nurse in the accident and emergency department at her local hospital, Jordan took the plunge and travelled to Takoradi for the experience of a lifetime.
We caught up with Jordan to see how her nursing elective in Ghana has influenced the rest of her nursing career.
What was it that made you want to study nursing in the first place?
I don’t think there’s one specific answer. I’ve wanted to do nursing for as long as I can remember.
I remember my first tour of Glasgow Caledonian University. One of the first presentations I saw was about Work the World electives, and that was before I’d even gotten into university. I remember thinking to myself, "I want to do that."
You went on to study at Glasgow Caledonian University. What was it that attracted you to the university?
It was close to home, but it also felt open and friendly. I was particularly attracted to their connections with other organisations.
I was impressed that they were open to letting their students study abroad, take overseas electives, and do other such things.
How did you find your nursing degree?
I loved it. I enjoyed the placements, coursework, and being around other like-minded people. We all had something in common, which made the whole experience much more straightforward.
You decided to travel with us after you had graduated. Why was that?
It was purely a financial decision. I was still working part-time and travelling back home quite a lot. I’d also never been abroad before or even been on a plane. So, with everything going on with university work, too, it felt a bit much. And time gets away from you.
But, once I’d graduated and had a stable job, I just thought this was the right time for me. I could afford it and felt more confident since I had graduated and had more experience.
So, did you remember to Work the World from your university?
Yes! I had enquired before while I was still studying at university, and then I just got back in touch once I graduated.
Initially, I thought the placements were just for students, but I wasn’t aware that you could do it once you qualified. So, I was excited when Work the World said I could do it that way. I think I booked it for the next day!
Would you have considered arranging your trip independently?
No, definitely not. I had never been abroad, and Work the World gave me the confidence to do it. All I had to do was sort out my flights.
Knowing someone would meet me at the airport, and I had somewhere to stay made it less stressful. I don’t think I would have had a clue what to do.
It’s pretty impressive that you went on a trip like this for your first time abroad! What made you want to go overseas on an experience like this?
I think because I had never been abroad before, I was just really curious. I just wanted to see what it would be like.
Also, once I’d graduated and started working in a relatively tiny local hospital, I noticed some significant differences compared to when I was doing placements at a university in the city. I noticed how different things were, and it made me curious to see how nurses worked in other places worldwide and their positions and skills. And I just thought, now is the time to do it.
Was there anything that worried you about going overseas for your placement? If so, how did you overcome this?
The travel side worried me the most because I’d never been on a plane. However, knowing that a Work the World team member would be waiting to meet me on the other side was comforting.
Plus, everyone was so friendly. It was really helpful to have the Work the World team there to introduce me to other people in the house and the hospital staff. It was also reassuring that Work the World worked closely with the hospital. It would have been daunting if I had to introduce myself to all these people alone.
What made you choose Ghana for your placement?
I was stuck between Tanzania and Ghana to start with, and I really couldn’t decide. I loved the idea of experiencing nursing in both countries, and Tanzania had some great activities you could do outside of placement,t too.
However, there was a doctor that I was working with in A&E at the time. He was from Ghana and explained how different Ghana would be from the UK and how much of an eye-opening experience he thought I would have out there. That’s what drew me to Ghana in the end.
It was definitely the right choice for me, too. The people I met were so friendly — I can’t imagine what it would have been like if I’d gone elsewhere. I was nervous, especially as I went by myself, but it helped to have these people around me.
What were your first impressions when you landed in Ghana and walked off the plane? And can you remember what the first 24 hours were like?
Getting off the plane, I felt a little overwhelmed as it was a brand-new experience. I couldn’t believe I’d done it. But when I saw the Work the World representative wearing their instantly recognisable blue T-shirt. I was very relieved and immediately felt calmer.
We got to the hotel we stayed in that night in Accra and headed out for dinner. It was explained that we would get the bus the next day to take us to Takoradi and be taken to our placement hospital and introduced to the staff there.
It was nice knowing the plan and that it had all been organised. The Work the World team ensured everything we needed was there and that we would go to the right places at the right time.
Five of us arrived on the same day and travelled to Takoradi together. I remember getting to the Work the World house and thinking how amazing it looked. It was a great big house with a nice pool, too.
We were shown to our rooms, and I remember thinking about the calm environment. I shared a room with another graduate who was a midwife.
Where was your placement? What departments did you spend your time in?
My placement was in the regional hospital in Takoradi. During my first week, I split my time between paediatrics and the neonatal unit, and I also spent a day in A&E.
I also did some outreach clinics. I did a day in the HIV clinic, and then I did a day with one of the midwifery students.
What was the day-to-day like in your placement?
In the mornings, everyone shared a taxi to the hospital, and then we headed to our respective departments for the day.
I was the only person from the Work the World house on my ward, which was nice. In Ghana, nurses don’t participate in ward rounds, but it was great that I could still participate. The chance to go on the ward round allowed me to get more involved in the clinical side of things and learn about conditions rarely seen in the UK, such as sickle cell.
And whilst in the hospital, what do you think were the most striking differences between nursing in Ghana and nursing in the UK?
I found the differences in A&E striking because the nurses in Ghana only do vital signs and more basic tasks. Which was very different from what I was used to doing back home.
Because I work in a tiny hospital in Scotland, nurses do a lot. We’re all ELS trained; we can all do IVs, cannulas, and things like that. But in Ghana, these jobs are only carried out by doctors.
Since I’ve been home and the more I’ve got into my nursing career, the more I appreciate the differences. Of course, at the time, I was a bit shocked. But now that I have more experience, I appreciate my training and the skills I’ve been able to develop here in the UK.
It sounds like the nurse's role was quite different in Ghana…
Yes. I didn’t see many nurses doing personal care whilst in Ghana, either.
It was very family-oriented, and the patients’ families took on much of the responsibility of personal care. It was very different because it is a massive part of nursing at home in the UK.
What were the most interesting or noteworthy cases you saw during your placement? Are there any particular patients that spring to mind?
I remember being on the neonatal unit with a medical student, and we would always arrive early to the ward every morning and wait for the staff to arrive. We got very used to 'Ghana time' – it was rare for people to show up when scheduled.
One morning, when we arrived, there was an alarm going off. Fifteen minutes later, all the nurses appeared and told us the alarm was because the oxygen had run out. We immediately got into a panic because all these babies had been without oxygen for however long.
The nurses remained calm and reassured us that the doctor would do it when they started at 9 am – it was only 8:30 am then! They explained that that was the way things were done there.
What stands out to me the most is how relaxed the staff were. However, here in the UK, we would have been in such a panic if that had happened. But it’s a cultural thing.
Do you think the experience changed your approach for the rest of your nursing career?
Before this experience, I was probably quite a nervous nurse. Everything had to be done exactly right and on time.
The Ghanaian’s relaxed approach to everything – I took it home with me. Obviously, not to the same extent, but I learnt to remain calm and prioritise important things. I learnt that if a bit of paperwork didn’t get done until after I’d done my IVs, nothing terrible would happen.
I’ve got a lot more confidence. I’m confident that I do know my job. I know what needs to be done immediately and what can wait. I think that’s really what I took from it.
So, what is your current role?
I work in Accident and Emergency. I’ve not long been back since returning from maternity leave, so I’ve returned during quite a strange time. I think returning from a year off is daunting anyway, but given the recent changes due to the Coronavirus, it’s been extra daunting going back.
The very subtle changes of not having patient visitors in the hospital and having to wear additional PPE are what I’ve found the most different.
And do you think your experience in Ghana helped you work through a pandemic like this?
Two years ago, I was diagnosed with OCD, and it’s been extremely hard at work because I went from somebody who loved getting in amongst it to somebody who was scared of having contact with blood and wounds.
But, I always remember thinking I’ve been to Ghana in an HIV clinic where we didn’t have access to PPE other than the gloves we took out there ourselves, and I didn’t think about it.
I always draw on my experience in Ghana, and I think to myself, if I managed in Ghana with limited resources, I could manage here with all the extra equipment, procedures, and protocols we have. I definitely always look back and think okay, I can do it. You did it then — you can do it now.
Do you have any words of encouragement for anyone considering undertaking an overseas placement?
I would definitely recommend it. Although experiencing something so different will always be a bit scary, the support you have from the other students and the Work the World team makes things much more manageable.
If you’re thinking of organising it yourself, I’d recommend taking some time to consider how stressful that might be. Having your meals sorted for you and someone organising your transportation to the hospital and keeping an eye on you makes the whole experience more enjoyable.
Rather than looking back and thinking I spent the whole time worrying about how I was getting from place to place or what I would be doing day to day, I look back and remember the experience for the experience itself – not the minor details.
Read more about our nursing electives in Ghana.
Discover more about our Electives in Africa. You'll find various unique destinations offering eye-opening clinical experiences and adventures.
Electives in Africa
If you want to find out more about our electives in Africa, get in touch with our expert team via our short enquiry form.
If you want to find out more about our electives in Africa, get in touch with our expert team via our short enquiry form.
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