Waiting for the Rush

We set up the morning in the Boys & Girls clubs of Abbeville - a small shelter in Vermillion parish, but one of the sites that is central to where many evacuees are staying.

It did end up being steady flow of patients - entire families at times - who came in for immunizations, medication refills, and acute medical care.

We've gotten really good at moving in to a site, setting up shop, and directing the flow of patients. For those who will follow behind us, I recommend taking a few minutes at the beginning of the day to plan out patient flow. Additionally, the first day it's worth emptying out the tubs of supplies and medications so that everyone knows what is available.

Since I'm putting in advice for those who will follow - the other thing I've learned is that it's okay to slow down. You don't have this luxury in clinic at home, but few places that we've been have required speed - if we're overwhelmed there's usually another team that can come in to help. Listening is therapeutic and can't be rushed.

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