Medical and Nurse Programs in Nepal Kathmandu

This volunteer program was an amazing experience, I went to Nepal Kathmandu to the medical program. I worked in the hospital for 4 weeks. I did so much and learned much more. I did helped the community doing daily “Health Camps”. We checked blood pressures and blood sugars for early hypertension and diabetes detection. We typically saw 60-80 people in the 2 hours we did the camp. Then it was back to the hospital, where I mostly helped in the emergency department. I helped starting IV drips, medication administration, ECGs (with an old, but very cool ECG machine), vital signs and wound care. I also started following the outpatient department (OPD) physician. He taught me a lot! I saw a patient come into the ward with abdominal pain, assessed with appendicitis), I cleaned his wound the following week. The entire process was interesting and educational. I saw at least 3 endoscopy procedures, one of which was a patient with gastric (stomach) and duodenal (small intestine) worms! Overall, the best advice I can give next volunteer is "you will get out of this experience what you put in". Don’t be afraid to ask questions and offer your help. To help immerse yourself with the hospital staff and especially if you’re staying for longer than 1 week, take the Nepali language immersion class. I was to say things in Nepali to staff members, patients and strangers alike. I think it helped them welcome me more into their culture and lives. I felt very safe at home, including my personal belongings. I felt safe at work too. I had my own locker. Incredibly supportive and welcoming people. My host dad took me to the clinic when I was sick (I went to a local food market..bad idea). My host mom always made sure I was fed. They were so nice and loving people.

Overall the trip was very memorable. I got to watch a ton of endoscopes, discussion and shadowing the doctor’s at the hospital, there were a few other volunteers and students working at the hospital at that time, I’m glad I came and stayed with a host family so that I could really immerse myself in the culture. There are tons of options for sightseeing, trekking, and traveling and I very much enjoyed the experience.
I would advice if you are coming during winter, BRING LOTS OF WARM CLOTHINGS! Nights get freezing during winter and you’ll be glad you brought sweaters, hats and gloves. Definitely go to Pokhara and Nagarkot. We had a lot of fun in both of those places but prepared to travel for a long time to get to/from Pokhara.
The Staff support in country was great – he was extremely helpful in both orientating me to the city and helping to plan any outside trips. He’s is very dependable and whenever I needed anything he would accommodate. He’s super patient and has no problem sitting down and explaining anything I found confusing or needed help with. And the rooms are spacious and there is a locker in each room to put your personal belongings. Sudir and his family are super nice and gave us extra blankets. The food was tasty with a homemade traditional Nepalese dinner and a more western breakfast. The doors all lock and I overall felt very safe. Watching the sunrise over the Himalayas in Nagarkot. It was a really beautiful, once in a lifetime experience and I would recommend it to anyone.

My time at the Kathmandu orthopedic hospital after the big earthquake was one of the most amazing experience of my life. I gained an emerse amount of experience and applied least 50 casts and 70 slabs to earthquake victims along with doing countless dressings wounds and on multiple occasions removing post operation staples and stitches. I have also met so many amazing people and networked with countless Nepali surgeons at the hospital along with American surgeons here for relief aid. Best of all I was able to observe a hemotriaplasty which was probably the highlight of my trip.
The coordinator was more than accommodating and provided all the information and things I needed to succeed in the program. He showed me how to get to and from the hospital safely using buses and also showed me around the city so that I knew where to visit on my days off.
My accommodations were perfect; my sleeping situation was extremely comfortable. Our meals were always prepared in time and there was more than enough to eat ever time. Security was also very good.