Blog 3

June 3, 2019 (Monday)

Now that you are here, what is your first impression of the environment in Cherokee? What did you find most interesting about this culture’s history? What are the services that the Swain County Hospital is able to offer the community?  Are there workforce shortages in this community?  What types of healthcare services are frequently difficult to access in rural areas?

I really like the Cherokee environment. I love how they live in the mountains and it's their land not owned by the government. I like that everyone knows everyone. I like how they have a "pow wow" every year. I really enjoyed the traditional dances they do. I felt it was very interesting how they hold the women on such a high pedal stool. I feel like being in that culture and being on that pedal stool would be hard because I personally see relationships as an equal. We take the males last names but they take their wives tribe. I enjoyed how they used what was in their environment to make everything they have. They are truly creative humans. I have really enjoyed learning about the history of their culture but what I thought was most interesting was how at the wedding ceremony the groom presented the bride with meat to show his manhood. The bride would present her groom with an ear of corn to show her women-hood and that she can care for her groom. It amazes me how symbolic they are. The services that are typically offered at Swain County Hospital are slim, they are similar to prompt care. The services include acute care, pneumonia, COPD exacerbation, wound care, and physical therapy. What I thought was truly interesting was that the hospital had a "swing" are which is where they are ready to be discharged but are not ready to go home so they stay and get the care they need until they are ready to go home. They are able to do imaging and stabilizing of a patient until they are ready to be transferred to a facility better equipt to take care of the patient. They do offer pain control area of the hospital. There are many workforce shortages in the area. This includes all of the positions from CNA's, nurses, doctors, and specialist. The hospital pays tuition for two students every year in exchange for them to work for the hospital. They have one doctor mainly for the hospital that covers the emergency room and the admitting floor. What is unique about this hospital is that they don't have a high turnover rate with employees. Healthcare services that are frequently difficult to access are pretty much all your main specialties like surgery, OB, pediatric specialist, hospice, mental health, substance abuse, and these are just a few of those that are difficult to access. One of the main points everyone we talked to at the hospital made was they have a shortage of resources. The Swain County hospital only admits 2-3 percent that comes in and has to send the rest out. Rural area healthcare services are very interesting because they depend on each other to know their skills and they need to be proficient for things to work smoothly. There isn't a specific thing they study.