Traveling to NC with Cathleen: Wednesday July 12

Another day at the Cherokee Indian Hospital!

Actually, my portion of clinical observation today consisted of shadowing the nurse and nurse practitioners at the Indian Care Clinic. Which is a prompt care office that only serves Cherokee Indians! Though it was not real busy this morning, I was able to get to know more about the area that makes up the reservation, and how there are 7 counties within the Qualla Boundary and only 3 clinics where the Indians can be seen (Qualla. 2017.)
Children in this culture are typically raised by their grandparents. It is tradition and seen as the normal way. The elders in the community are seen as those with authority and deserving of the highest degree of respect. Elders are thought to have great wisdom to pass down, and are the ones that gave you life. I have been able to observe several family structures. Some have included several generations in one room and others have included just the grandmother and her grandchildren. Though in all scenarios I have witnessed the respect younger generations have for the elders. As far as support systems in the community, the entire tribe serves as a support system for each other. There are also several churches to attend and community activities to get involved in to create connections with others to have a larger support system. They even have places for addict to go for support specially designed for them.
Resilience is the ability to bounce back. Children of the Cherokee tribe have great resilience. Especially when looking back through history to when children would attend boarding schools and be lined up and forced to drink medications and be given shots. As adults looking back these memories are all to familiar. However, due to all the positive changes that have been made, more adults are taking to the concept of health care today and treatments. Most of the families whom have resilience today have optimism. As the Cherokee Indian Hospital says "The Right Way" is to
After getting to watch the drama "Unto These Hills" last night, it was clear how the white man treated the Indians so poorly, yet they have been the most welcoming and accepting people in my entire nursing student career. Everyone seems so accepting and genuinely wants to help teach us about their culture and how their nurses perform their cares.

Service Project

My school's instructor was placed into contact with a local church in the Cherokee area that had several children in need where we were able to donate several boxes of clothing for the gender and sizes that required as well as school supplies and some toys. We were also donated several glucose monitors (some even had Bluetooth capabilities) half of which we have donated to the Family Care Clinic (which is like a doctors office that serves non Indians) and Indian Care Clinic as well since they are connected. This will allow them to dispense these to diabetics in need who may not be able to afford their own supplies.