Monthly Archives: July 2018
Trip to Organize Sea Container
We recently (mid-April 2017) took a small team to Guatemala to organize our sea container filled with equipment and supplies that arrived this winter. We distributed most of the supplies and equipment during our February/March 2017 mission, but had much organizing to do. Previously, we were tasked with sorting and organizing our instruments and supplies (that had been stored off site) each mission, severely compromising our efficiency.
We were able to re-organize multiple instrument trays that will allow us to proceed from case to case without having to wait in the queue for a sterilization cycle. We also catalogued and inventoried our supplies so that we know where our needs and strengths are and steri-packed several tubs of instruments that will eliminate the need to open an entire instrument set to access only one instrument. We installed many feet of shelving to allow us to store instrument sets and supplies in a logical, clearly labeled fashion that will decrease search times finding the desired item. Additionally, we were able to divide our cache of instruments such that we now have multiple instrument sets that will allow us to perform several similar procedures without having to sterilize instrument trays between surgeries.
Many, many thanks to the following MOA team members who donated their time and talents and resources to make the mission effort more efficient and productive:
Dr. John Brunette
Laura Brunette
Sandy Atwell
Stacey Smith
Melissa Smith
I am also very grateful for the assistance that Ms. Artemis Escobar continues to provide to MOA. She took time from work to lend a hand in organizing the supplies, toting plywood, providing interpreting services and driving us to and from the hardware store (actually, several times) to purchase the needed brackets, fasteners, etc. Artemis has and continues to go above and beyond to assist MOA and her fellow countrymen.
I would also like to thank Jonathan_________ and Erwin ______________ for their assistance in the construction of shelving, organization of equipment and interpreting. We meet these gentlemen as patients during our last mission; it is so rewarding to see these young men “paying it forward”!
