Chiamaka Peace Igwe

I work in Opal ward, an 18-bed adult inpatient ward. My duties include:

• Performing medical assessments, mental examination, Ecg and blood taking.

• Participating in ward rounds, safety huddles and weekly educational sessions.

• Liaise with the multidisciplinary team.

• Ordering investigations such as blood tests and urine tests and interpreting findings from investigations to assist in reaching a diagnosis.

• Effectively managing common medical problems that arise with patients on the ward.

• Prescribing medications and monitoring patient progress with clear records.

• Covering overnight shifts in the ward, with regular monitoring and detailed handovers.

• Referring patients to other departments based on individual needs.

• Preparing discharge summaries and doing TTAs.

• Keeping clear, concise and up to date patient records.

I worked in an inpatient ward providing day-to-day care of patients under consultant care:

• Took thorough patient histories and conducted physical examinations to assess patients.

• Obtained patient medical information such as blood pressure, ECG, rapid glucose testing.

• Participated in ward rounds and weekly educational activities.

•Carried out practical procedures including blood sampling, IV cannulation and bladder catheterisation.

• Participated in the admission of new patients.

• Preparing discharge summaries.

• Reviewed patients’ test results with consultants and discussed therapeutic plans.

•Accompanied patients to diagnostic examinations including endoscopies, echocardiography, ultrasounds and biopsies.

• Maintained accurate patient records.

• Shadowed Consultant to broaden knowledge.

• Performed neurological examinations in outpatient.

• Participated in diagnostic procedures: ENG, EMG and EEG, polysomnography, carotid ultrasound, CSF evaluation.

• Therapeutic planning with the consultant.

• Communicated with patients in ambulance regarding their presenting complaints.

• Participated in prenatal abdominal and transvaginal ultrasound examinations, and cardiotocography.

• Monitored cervical dilatation during labor

• Assisted vaginal deliveries and C-sections.

• Assessing Apgar score in newborns.

• Conducting thorough patient assessments, including physical examinations and taking pediatric and prenatal histories.

• Monitoring and managing acutely ill patients. This involved interpreting laboratory results, assessing vital signs and therapeutic planning with consultant.

• Providing differential diagnoses of rash, fever, vomiting, respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses in childhood.

• Evaluating psychosomatic development in infants.

• Assessing the growth of a child with the use of growth charts.

• Examining reflexes in newborns.

• Maintaining accurate medical records.

I worked in an adult inpatient ward:

• Performed psychiatric examination and history taking.

• Performing blood taking and ECG.

• Measuring vital parameters.

• Participating in ward rounds and therapeutic planning.

• Liaising with the team of psychotherapists, nurses and pharmacists involved in the care of the patient.

• Maintaining accurate medical records.

I worked in a GP pediatric clinic:

• Performed physical examination and history taking.

• Examining patients with fever, flu, vomiting, ear pain and more.

• Measuring vital parameters.

• Taking blood and urine samples.

• Therapeutic planning with GP.

• Assisting with writing referrals.

• Examining the growth of children using growth charts.

• Vaccinating patients.

• Assisted and observed surgical and laparoscopic interventions such as laparoscopic left hemicolectomy, Lichtenstein inguinal hernioplasty, mastectomy and umbilical hernia repair.

• Participated in ward rounds and morning meetings.

• Sutured surgical wounds and performed follow-up suture removal.

• Performed diligent surgical care tasks including pre-operative evaluation, operative management and post-operative care.

• Performed wound dressing and bandage change, and cast fixation.

• Assisted in orthopedic surgeries like carpal tunnel release, and hip replacement.

• Monitoring basic parameters in the operating room

• Maintaining free airway in the operating room.

• Performing venous cannulation.

• Safely administered medications including analgesia and intravenous fluids.