This summer, I had the privilege of working with SVYM and the Vivekananda Memorial Hospital to create a standard operating procedure for the emergency department. My mentor was Dr. Nagesh, a general medicine practitioner within the hospital.
The standard operating procedure we created is a 20 page document detailing most general processes of the emergency department, from the moment the patient walks into the ED to the point at which they are discharged. Some examples of processes detailed in the document are triage and trauma response, medicolegal cases, pediatric patient considerations, and process monitoring. The document was intended to be an update from the previous standard operating procedure made a couple of years prior.
The project was split into three phases: an observation phase, documentation, and implementation. During the observation phase, I shadowed and discussed with many healthcare workers and administration at different levels both within and outside the emergency department in order to get a better understanding of how the hospital works and how certain situations are handled by different sectors. A big part of the project was creating clarity and standardization to minimize error and improve efficiency/quality of patient care. Therefore, I made an effort to involve all stakeholders and receive their opinions on what their concerns were and which processes they felt could be improved on or clarified. During this time, I also did plenty of research on governmental guidelines, case studies, and potential solutions which the hospital could adapt to their needs. The next phase of the project ws documentation. Initially, I was nervous and concerned as to whether I could do a good job in creating the document, as I never made a standard operating procedure before coming to India. However, my mentor was very helpful and patient with me as he guided me through the process and probed me to learn from and fix my mistakes. As I was writing up the document, I made sure to get feedback at different points from different individuals so that the parties involved were also represented within the document. The SOP went through many revisions and even now continues to be improved such that it is an accurate representation of the hospital operations. Finally, the last phase of the project was implementation and process monitoring. After speaking with the hospital operations manager, I realized the need to have measures in place that would track the hospital’s performance and give stakeholders a direction for improvement. Additionally, when speaking with workers at different levels, I realized that there were issues with the previous SOP’s implementation, as many people had never seen the previous document let alone actively used it. Therefore, we wanted to have an emphasis on making the SOP accessible to all parties and figuring out ways to integrate its use into the daily operations of the hospital. This was challenging for me as I was not accustomed to the cultural and organizational nuances involved in working at the hospital, nor was it something I could attain in just four weeks. Therefore, I had to rely on my mentor's guidance, and at the end of the day it was important to us that the document was something that had practical utility and was suited to the community’s needs.
Aside from my project, I also assisted in giving basic life support training to our cohort through the JeevaRaskha program. This was a great opportunity for me as I learned a lot about teaching and how first aid situations can differ between countries. I also enjoyed meeting with different leaders and experts, such as the director of Shaktidhama and the various lecturers we had the privilege of learning from. Exploring India and its rich culture was lovely as well, such as going to the different temples, landmarks, and markets within Mysore. Some of my favorite moments included climbing up 700 stairs to get to the Jain temple, Shravanabelagola, or visiting the beautiful Brindavan Garden.
Overall, I’m very proud of the end product we were able to create and look forward to seeing how the project progresses beyond my time in India. After many challenges and doubts, I was able to push forward and in the process I gained many valuable lessons, both professionally and personally. I am so honored to be of help to the organization and more importantly am inspired by the community’s efforts in uplifting themselves and taking ownership of their development. It was truly a wonderful experience to be a part of the organization and I will never forget the beautiful friendships I’ve made with the people there!
