Estella Beaumont-Palmer

I’ve always wanted to travel to Africa, and to immerse myself in the day-to-day life out there inspired me to undertake a placement overseas. 

I chose to complete my elective placement in Ghana and would not change this decision for the world. As soon as I arrived, I couldn’t help but be amazed at the way of life there. Africa certainly doesn’t sleep. The streets were alive with markets, children running around, and playing games — it felt like another world. 

To better understand different cultures, religions, priorities, and routines of other health industries, I felt it was important to gain first-hand experience of how other healthcare systems run in other parts of the world.

Being in the hospital all week meant I was completely immersed in West African life. I witnessed numerous procedures and was amazed by the hospital teams’ hard work and dedication, especially with the little resources they had.

One nurse in particular sat down with me and taught me how to cannulate and gave me tips that I use as a qualified nurse today. 

The experience made me think about how much we waste in hospitals in the UK, particularly the amount of PPE we use compared to the amount I saw in my placement hospital in Takoradi – five or so masks on the paediatric wards and a few pairs of gloves!

Experiencing this has certainly made me more resourceful and thankful for what seems like an endless supply of resources in the UK.

A lot of the areas in the hospital were very informal. Maternity wards were open to the corridors, and many areas were overcrowded with run-down equipment and an abundance of patients, hopeful patients and their families.  

When I visited my placement hospital for the first time, I was taken aback at how run down everything was. On first sighting the cleanliness standards were significantly different to those in the UK.

All of the hospital staff were so welcoming. They wanted to know all about me. By the end of my placement, it felt like I had known the nurses for months or years rather than days and weeks. 

One difference I noted between hospitals in the UK and my placement hospital in Takoradi was how the nurses in Ghana communicated with children, particularly boys. From my understanding, males in Ghana are brought up to show no signs of emotion and put on a brave face. This was sometimes difficult to witness, but I understood that it was their way of life.

Another significant difference was the lack of privacy for patients. Walking along the Obstetrics and Gynaecology ward, doors would be wide open, offering no privacy for women in labour. 

There was also just one room for doctor-to-patient consultation, yet there were often two different families in the one room. 

There was so much to take in and so many differences to observe. It was such an amazing insight into how the workings of a Regional Hospital in Africa compared to the NHS. 

I can’t wait to go back! I hold so many stories close to my heart, they are memories I will never forget.

I had the opportunity to observe a number of cases in the Wound Clinic which was very eye-opening. I witnessed how wounds were cleaned using basic solutions and minimal pain relief, which was astounding! 

One of my favourite days was being in the community, teaching the children some basic health insights and getting the chance to witness their schooling system and outpatient appointments. 

I also spent some time in theatres, the Emergency Department, and numerous other ward environments. If you’re looking for a holistic view of how the hospital works, I’d recommend experiencing as many different departments as possible. 

From my time living and working in Ghana, I really felt the hospital staff I worked with were like family, everyone supported and lifted one another up. 

The evenings after placement would consist of complete downtime. Some evenings my housemates and I would chill at the Work the World house, have dinner together, sit by the pool and play games on the patio. 

Other evenings we would all head out together to have dinner as a group. We’d also explore the local area and visit the bars, shops and the beach. We’d also participate in Fante lessons at the Work the World house to improve our knowledge of the local language and culture. 

One of my favourite evenings was the weekly BBQ night – learning African dances, practising using drums, and dancing the evenings away with good food and company! 

Weekends were some of the most memorable moments from my time in Ghana. Going on safari, swimming in the ocean and waterfalls, back-to-basics African motels, incredible sunsets and sunrises, feeding monkeys, exploring local communities, meeting new people, trying local cuisines, and so much more!

It's a big leap to leave your comfort zone, travel the world, and live with a group of people you have never met, but I couldn't encourage you more to take this adventure. I talk about it all the time. 

It’s a leap of faith if you haven’t done something like this before, but one I guarantee you will not regret. Meeting new people, experiencing African cultures, new environments, crazy adventures, endless laughter, and moving moments were truly the adventures of a lifetime!

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