Out Patient Chemotherapy

      For 4 days, I will be on hospital duty orientation. Together with other clinical instructors Don Bansuan, Lloyd Lepiten, Chona Barrun and PJ Arrangues, we will be acquainting ourselves with the  Out-Patient Chemotherapy Infusion Room of  Davao Doctors Hospital, the FIRST and the ONLY one in Mindanao.

     It has followed the regulations being set by PhilHealth, allowing more safety area for the nurses in preparation and administration of this drugs. Chemotherapeutic drugs are toxic in nature and  the preparation should not be anymore be done in clinics or bedside of the patient.

Chemotherapy cycles, depending on drugs and the case, or  hours of infusion varies and may range as little as 3 hours which means that there is no need for the patient to be admitted in the hospital.

Patients are also kept comfortable with Lazyboy couches which can be reclined when they want to lie while the treatment is going on. The room is also air-conditioned  with one TV to give the place a homey feel. For the meantime, both adult and pediatric cancer patients are treated in the same infusion room but a separation of the two will materialize soon.

I observed the facility more today and the process much more than the patients. We weren't allowed to deal with the patients much . I wanted to watch the insertion of a Porta-cath today, one of the central lines inserted in the upper chest and  just below the clavicle or the collar bone.

Earlier, we got more familiar with the common used chemotherapy drugs and those that values as high as P 300,000 per vial. Yes, there are people who can buy that given at the rate twice a week.

      The unit is one very hepflul area for many cancer patients. I believe, that this again will boost the level of medical competence of the hospital also. More than that, a place of hope for patients who is fighting for one disease feared by many because of its unpredictability.

   I have 2 cancer stories to share making me appreciate the treatment. It has taught me to appreciate science and its quest to augmenting one cancer patient's life to a lot more year. It has taught me of the value of the facility being able to understand the care of the cancer patients.

    I still have 3 days to more to this area which I learned does not allow students inside due to probably of the small space. However, they can be called to observe  minor procedures such as Bone Marrow Aspiration.

    Tomorrow is another day. Earlier, we dealt with Liver Ca, Breast Ca, Multiple Myeloma.  Tomorrow will be another round of nursing care for patients with cancer again..another round of learning..and another round of appreciating life.