Clinica Alabama Granada

Granada, Nicaragua Elena Gibson and Sarah Bode

Nicaragua- History • Originally a Spanish

Colony. Gained

Independence in 1821

• President Daniel

ORTEGA Saavedra

• Structure and economy

were damaged by the

civil war and Hurricane

Mitch in 1988

• Capital- Managua

• Government- Republic

Culture • Language- Spanish

• Religions- Catholic and Protestant

• Called the “land of lakes and volcanoes”

• Popular foods- Gallo Pinto, Casadas, FRUIT

• Climate- hot and tropical with two seasons rainy and dry

• Currency- Gold Cordoba

• Family values are very important

Granada • Population- 130,000 (2009)

• Founded in 1524 making it the

oldest European founded city in

Central America

• Rich colonial heritage- narrow

streets and colorful architecture

• Nicaragua’s third largest city

• Located along the coast of Lake

Nicaragua, only freshwater lake

to have sharks in the waters

• Center of Tourism in Nicaragua

Economy • Second poorest country

in the Western

Hemisphere, following

Haiti

• 43% live below poverty

line

• 45% of people live in rural

areas making up 60% of

those in poverty

• Reliance on Agriculture-

rice, coffee, bananas,

plantains, yucca root

Health Care • Socialist, financed by the Ministry of Health and

Social Security

• Divided into service levels- Community clinic (home) Health posts Health

centersDepartmental hospitalsNational hospitals

• Health posts create the majority of health facilities

and provide primary health care and health

promotion

• Community based clinics are ran by volunteers and

are not funded by the ministry of health

Clinica Alabama Granada • FOR (Friends of Rudy)

Nicaraguan Health is a

non profit organization

started in the 1990s to

provide care to the

underserved of

Nicaragua

• Clinica Alabama

Granada was started in

2004 by FOR

Clinic • Up to 50 patients are provided with health care

needs and medications daily

• Serving individuals with low incomes and no access

to medical services

• 2 staff doctors and an in house pharmacy

• Common problems: Diabetes, Hypertension,

Chicken Gunya, Infections

• Emphasis on prevention and continuous care

• Patients get a card with a monthly date for an

appointment

Student Responsibilities

• Assist with patient

intake

• Record patient vitals

and glucose levels

• Observe care by the

physician and assist

with any physical

exams

• Help with any

pharmaceutical needs

Differences from clinics in the United States

• All paper records

• No private examination rooms.

• Histories were taken at desks in the same room, and

there was one table behind a bed sheet curtain

when privacy was required.

• Patients were given a date to return. There were no

choices for appointments

• Physicians were very straight forward about

suggested life style changes and medication

compliance

Our Life in Granada • Wake up to the sound of roosters

• Take a morning walk and cook

breakfast

• Walk to clinic and begin our work

for the day

• Enjoy lunch at Claudia’s Café

(Gallo pinto and a glass of fruit

juice)

• Spend the afternoon and evening

exploring the city and culture or

spending time with new friends.

Explorations

THE END