Day One

No pictures, I am afraid, I forgot to bring my camera.  I should have some tomarrow.
I am hoping that this is just first day jitters, but I am actually not sure if this is going to work, but I am certainly going to try.  The language barrier is a real problem.  All the people that work are Palestinians and have only a very basic skill of English.  I think that they thought that my Arabic was better, but if they are willing to give it a go, so am I.
I am working on the Pediatric ward, and my preceptor probably has the best English there.  The kids that were there involved a few babies with hyperbilirubin, a baby with terrible congenital defects, and a few older kids with chronic health problems (respiratory).
The worst part was that I couldn't answer the questions of the parents or even explain what I was doing when I went in to take vitals.  At one point, a mother went to the door and motioned to me.  I told my preceptor, who was charting, that help was needed and she told me to go in myself.  I did, but obviously couldn't understand what she needed.  I mean, how awful is it to have a sick kid, and a nurse who can't talk to you to boot?  Communication and teaching is such a vital part of nursing, and this is why I am not sure if I will be successful here.  Even asking a simple question like "do you want some tea?" is rewarded with a barrage of Arabic rather then a yes or a no.  I am not very good at learning languages in the first place, and I don't think that I can raise to a level where I can be a helpful worker.  But, as I said, I will try.
There was rounds in the morning, and for some reason they would switch to English when the doctors would announce what his plans were for the child.  At one point he pointed at a premature (29 week) newborn and asked everyone what we should be concerned with regarding the eyes.  No one there knew, and he was very pleased when I finally said that we should watch for retinopathy of prematurity, so maybe I will be able to help after all.

We will see tomorrow, maybe it will go better.