Well, this is just a simple song...

HEY GUESS WHAT it's Nurse's Week! So here's a themed post because it's the little things in life that make me happy, like THEMES:

A couple weeks ago, we hosted the regional nursing competition among the eastern aimags. It was great fun, and of course I got to take lots and lots and lots of photos. Have you ever wanted to put on your own nursing competition? OF COURSE. So let me show you how:

Bright, sunny and in the 70s is exactly how you want to start your competition.

Line 'em up, listen to some opening remarks... 

This is one of our schizophrenic patients. This is actually the same woman from last year who would yell at me in Russian and follow me places. This year, however, she must have forgotten about it... because right after she caught me taking the picture, she came up to me and said (in Mongolian), "are we friends?" I said, of course. We shook hands and continued to watch the speeches. 

Next, you do a little presentation on your hospital (this is where I got shout-out #1)

Oh yes, you must remember to put up your hair to perfection....

See?

Last minute chatter/cramming...

NURSING TESTS!!

Next, have your nurses test out the skills... 

This is Ghanaa, one of the nurses on my hospital's team, and also my neighbor! 

Reminds me of skill checks in nursing school.... ugh.

Oh hey, remember that nice weather the day before? Scrap that shit because here comes SNOW for the second day of the competition!

Yeah, you know why I took this picture.

This game is called, "count how many people are photoshopped into the picture." Hint: it's way more than you think.

FINALLY back to the competition. Here comes the real fancy stuff.

First some kind of introduction. Which could include a song/poem...

Or some kind of ethnic dance bit... (that woman with the mic is supposed to be playing a Russian)

Or have a Florence Nightingale impersonator...

... complete with dancing military women!

Yeah, clearly the coolest intro.

Close up!

Next, lets show the judges what you've been up to this year! (This is where I got shout out #2!) 

Not pictured: large screen with power points on it. Oh yeah, the woman on the right has a picture of a healthy lung stuck to her middle. They were doing a bit about smoking.

Next, have one person from each team answer a complicated (?) medical question. (A lot of them were about med dosages). If you're wondering why three of them look so happy, its because we were like the only team to get their question right.

Next, each team needs to answer a joint question! (They sounded like case studies to me...) 

Next, have each team come up and make sure they have their nursing supplies in their pockets, such as a watch, a pen,  hair in a bun, a towel and soap. This was the only part that I went, "uhhhh what." 

Finally, end with a upbeat song from your aimag.

Awards!!

Because they're amazing, my nurses got 1st place.... for the second year in a row!!

Congrats! Now they're all in UB competing in the national competition (last year they came in 5th). Go go Sukhbaatar go!!

Happy Nurse's Week, everyone!

The new day dawns, and I'm practicing my purpose once again.

So here's my in-between week. Last week, big seminar. This week, home. Next week, big seminar. I'm leaving again Saturday for UB to be the Health trainer for IST (remember last year I brought Altansuvd?), and THANKSGIVING! I'm excited that next year I'll be with my family, but Thanksgiving here isn't a poor substitute. This will be the last time before COS (close of service) conference that we're all together, so we gotta make it count!

Long photo post! Whoops.

So last week, I traveled the most west I've been in Mongolia so far- to Erdenet. I've been preparing nursing skill presentations for Laura (a fellow M21) and Gracie (a new M22 healthie). I first had a stop in Ulaan Tolgoi (literally: red head) at Laura's soum and did a two day training for the hospital there:

Laura has the CUTEST most well behaved cat I've ever met. And BIG EYES! 

Practicing positioning with Gracie as my patient!

Laura (on the left), Gracie and I with the hospital employees. (Gracie's CP, Doogie, is the one with the black dress in the back- she was my amazing translator the whole week)

I had to take a picture of this. It just says "School". The school is named "School".

We're cold! 

Sunset in Ulaan Tolgoi.

Next it was onto Erdenet! Three days of nursing skill seminars. Tiring, but it was well worth it. We covered everything from nursing ethics to constipation. The nurses were really receptive and we had some awesome discussions. It was also really nice to see the M21s I've missed (Katie, Ryan and Ali!):

And it begins! There were over 60 nurses there. Dang.

View if you were sitting in the back.

SKIN LAYERS WHAT UP

I sometimes drifted to the back to speak just to make sure people were paying attention.

Oh yeah, we had dinner! Here's Ryan and Katie shelling the shrimp.

LETTUCE.

Finished result- salad (with "feta") and shrimp pasta and garlic bread (not pictured). Mmm.

YUMM.

Gracie poured a whole bottle of something on her computer, now the backlight doesn't work. Hilarity ensues whenever she wants to do anything on her computer.

BUNNY HUGZ

Ok, ok, back to the seminar. This woman speaking is the head of nursing in Erdenet, and is best friends with Tuya and Saraa (from the health department). Small country, eh?

The ER doc showed us all how NOT to transfer a patient (Gracie). Owch. 

Two person lift from a wheelchair. Not too bad!

You can see how nervous I am. We're practicing patient falls. This is pretty much how it ended up in my hospital, too.

Alright, I'll stop killing your bandwidth with my pictures.

OH WAIT HERE'S A NICE ONE:

Children's English play... comp...compet.... competition (gaaaahhhh)
But this one was cute. (And it won)