The Beginning As A Flight Nurse
Warbelows Medevac in Fairbanks, Alaska is where my career as a flight nurse began. Flying to remote, far flung villages without roads for access to the basic necessities of health care, no stores for supplies or for food, not to mention the inclement weather that can cripple the average person, was a real eye opener. Medical care and support was provided by local health aids who have limited training and even more limited resources. In serious illness and critical injuries, time is of the essence. In these villages, the health aids work hard at getting patients to the proper facility for care, but it can take hours and sometimes days to get that patient to Fairbanks or Anchorage. The medevac crew was a welcome sight to not only the patient, but to their family, the health aide and many times the entire village as the one being transported could be depended upon as provider during hunting seasons. It was in these villages that I was given the privilege to provide education to the health aides (wound care, assessment skills, the importance of obtaining a proper health history as well as techniques for IV access which in itself could be a life saving intervention until medevac arrived) and do wellness checks on the villagers (blood pressure checks, glucose monitoring and nutrition management etc.). I was only able to stay 2-3 days at a time in numerous villages, but that short span left a profound impact on the wellness of the village and myself. I was also witness to seeing people live with the struggle of no fresh water and the dramatic effect of overall well-being on life when clean water systems were put into place. Many years have passed since my first years of flight nursing, but nothing has brought me greater joy in work than helping with basic care that is often taken for granted. Care2Go Sailing’s goals are greatly influenced by what I experienced in remote Alaska. The desire and determination to provide basic essential healthcare and training of health aides, clean water systems and education to make choices that have an affect on living a longer, healthier life is the core what we want to do. We strongly believe that those in the most remote, isolated parts of the world deserve access to these ideals and we are dedicated to help that become a reality. There is so much still to do. Your help is needed to fulfill the most basic, yet critical needs of the isolated people of Vanuatu and the South Pacific. Please like, follow and share as we work to build and send supplies, recruit volunteers, and prepare to Sail for Good.