GIFF JOHNSON
A multi-week critical care training program at Majuro hospital resulted in dozens of medical and health staff benefiting from this on-island professional development opportunity.
The program, supported by Taiwan’s Shuang Ho Hospital, also is a prime demonstration of the Taiwan government’s focus on funding and support to benefit the Marshall Islands and help improve healthcare delivery.
Three two-week sessions focused on working with Majuro hospital staff to improve critical care skills, particularly focused on newborns and babies, as well as wound care.
The first two sessions were led by two different neonatologists Drs. Hsiao-Chin Wang and Ying-Fang Chen and respiratory therapist Kai-Min Hsieh from Shuang Ho in March and April.
Through 26 training sessions, 27 participants successfully completed the program. By the end of the training, healthcare professionals learned essential skills needed for Neonatal (newborn) Intensive Care, including how to perform the Neonatal Resuscitation Program, said a wrap-up report from Shuang Ho Hospital on the program. “With this knowledge, they will be better equipped to care for critically ill newborns, which will lead to better health outcomes and increased safety for patients in the neonatal unit,” the hospital said.
“This program was carefully designed to enhance the critical care skills of medical staff at Majuro hospital and to increase the availability of respiratory therapists. Throughout the training, healthcare professionals learned how to operate ventilators, enabling them to provide basic respiratory care in clinical environments.”
Training on advanced cardiovascular life support and critical care medicine involved Emergency Room Dr. Wei-En Li, neurosurgeon Dr. Wan-Lin Chen, pulmonologist Dr. Yun-Kai Yeh and ICU nurse Yi-Chen Wang. A total of 45 hospital staff completed the 27 sessions of the advanced cardiovascular life support training, while 17 completed the 18 sessions of critical care medicine.
The Wound Care training program ran from July 8 to July 17, wrapping up the three-part program. It provided surgical nursing staff essential knowledge and skills for effective wound assessment, management, and complication prevention.
It was led by Shuang Ho Hospital’s supervisor of the Wound Care Center, registered nurse Ching-Uen Huang. Over the course of 12 sessions, 14 participants completed the program.
“This critical care training initiative not only bolstered the skills of local healthcare professionals but also contributed to the long-term sustainability of medical care in the Marshall Islands,” said Shuang Ho Hospital in its report on the training.
“The successful completion of this training marks a significant advancement in enhancing the quality of patient care in emergency and critical situations. Continued management and organization of ventilator supplies and protocols will ensure that healthcare providers are well-prepared to meet the needs of their patients.”
Shuang Ho Hospital has been a partner of long-standing with the Ministry of Health and Human Services. The Taiwan Health Center at Majuro hospital was established by the Taipei-based hospital nearly 20 years ago to coordinate and provide services in the RMI. These have included everything from skilled specialist doctors working at Majuro and Ebeye hospitals and training programs for Marshallese doctors to assisting Majuro hospital to digitize medical records and providing supplies and equipment on an ongoing basis.