Nursing: Nursing Challenges in Poverty Stricken Areas

Nurses need to be aware: Challenges encountered in poverty stricken areas

Every country of the world has poverty-stricken areas. These present unique challenges to nurses, whether they are new graduates, experienced nurses dedicated to their profession or those trying to help others. 

Learning the root cause of poverty, in a specific location is crucial for nurses seeking employment there. A full awareness of existing problems is essential.

What are some of the leading causes of poverty?

Poverty can be the result of people living in an isolated location. Perhaps a village, town or city, is in a remote part of a country. This could be a mountainous region or a desert. It may be an outpost in the wilderness.

Sometimes poverty results from a high level of unemployment in an area, due to economic changes. Poverty can be the direct result of the closure of businesses that support people living in an area. For example, a mine or a mill might be closed.

Poverty occurs quickly, in parts of the world affected by natural disasters like floods, hurricanes or earthquakes. People, who are victims of war, are forced to flee for their lives. They may have to leave everything behind and many times, cannot return to their homes.

Poverty can be the result of people living an inappropriate lifestyle. This could be related to a high level of alcohol consumption or drug abuse. Over-population can lead to poverty linked to violence and crime.

People who live in poverty stricken areas need nursing care, perhaps more so than people in other areas. 

Some of the major challenges that confront registered nurses, who consider nursing in poverty stricken areas include the following:

Limited accessibility:

Many poverty stricken areas are inaccessible, while others may only be accessible, at certain times of the year. Numerous places can be reached only by traveling miles of treacherous highways, roadways or pathways. Some cannot be reached other than by air or water. Being able to access the location where nurses seek employment is essential. This may entail the use of different modes of transportation or require many hours of travel. Appropriate inquiry with respect to the accessibility of a poverty stricken area is always important.

Restricted or limited communication:

Many poverty stricken areas of the world have restricted or limited communication. This means that nurses choosing to work there, may be unable to access other medical professionals or medical resources. It can mean minimal contact with families and friends. Sometimes, there is no outside contact with anyone or it may be limited to communication by mail, radio, telephone or computer. When considering nursing in a poverty stricken area, the nurse should ascertain what methods of communication are available and what restrictions or limitations exist, with respect to various modes of communication, prior to consenting to accept employment.

Lack of medical facilities:

Many poverty stricken areas have no medical facilities or ones that are less than adequate. In extreme situations, there may be no hospitals or the existing ones fail to provide appropriate medical care.

Spending time doing serious research about existing medical facilities, in a poverty stricken area, is recommended. At times, nurses can be instrumental in helping to establish new medical facilities, in an area where they are needed.

Shortage of medical personnel:

Because the shortage of qualified medical professionals is a global problem, both doctors and registered nurses are needed, everywhere. Nurses may be forced to work alone or have to find other nurses in the vicinity. There may not be any doctors. Sometimes, the closest physicians are miles away. Nurses with extensive experience, may be able to function well on their own in this kind of a scenario. New graduates may have difficulty working without others to assist or advise them. It is a good idea to find out if there will be other medical personnel available, before going to any poverty stricken area.

Lack of medicine and medical supplies:

A poverty stricken area often has no medicine or other medical supplies, because the people living in the area are too poor to pay for them. Most remote areas have a shortage of medicine and medical supplies. Bringing them into an area may be difficult or impossible, particularly in times of bad weather, natural disasters or war. Nurses going to poverty stricken areas may be able to bring medicine and medical supplies, but not always. Sometimes, these can be obtained through donations from different organizations, in emergency situations. Awareness of what is available with regard to medicine and medical supplies, is essential.

Clean water problems:

Clean water is a serous concern for many poverty stricken areas. There is a tremendous need for good wells or a viable, clean water source. The water in many areas may have to be boiled, prior to human consumption. People living in poverty cannot afford to purchase bottled water. Digging wells can be costly. Before entering a poverty stricken zone, nurses must find out if clean water is available. Clean water is important for the health of the nurses, as well as for those living in the area. Nurses can assist poverty stricken communities to educate their people about the necessity of clean water or they may be able to help them obtain financial assistance from outside agencies with regard to establishing viable clean water sources.

Sanitation problems:

Many poverty stricken areas have poor sanitation, which invariably results in health related problems including illnesses or diseases. This may be a direct result of the lack of education. In order for nurses to function effectively in poverty stricken areas, their health must be a primary concern. Good sanitation is crucial with respect to everyone's health. Nurses are aware of this, but many people may not be, and thus, education may be a primary factor with regard to change for the better.

Food, clothing and housing issues:

Many people in poverty stricken areas lack the basic necessities for survival as they have no food, clothing or shelter. Their housing is inadequate, at best. Nurses going into poverty stricken areas require food, clothing and shelter, in order to survive. At times, even their needs are not adequately met in poverty stricken areas, particularly in disaster scenarios. Being aware of what is happening is important for nurses, as they can place their own lives in jeopardy by trying to help others.

These are just some of the major challenges that nurses must consider, when seeking employment in poverty stricken areas of the world. Nursing in any area is never easy and becomes more complicated when people live in poverty.

Coping with people can be difficult, as they can have high stress levels when they are living in poverty. There may be a sense of anger, hopelessness and utter despair. Nurses may become frustrated, discouraged and disillusioned, over time. It is not the same as nursing in a world where everything that nurses need to take care of their patients, is right at hand.

New graduates have high ideals with respect to their prospective careers. Many young nurses glamorize or romanticize nursing. Culture shock must be considered when new nurses leave well-ordered, nursing programs and hospital environments. For nurses, it is not always easy to go through the kind of adjustments necessary to work in poverty stricken areas.

In conclusion, one must suggest that many nurses are in a position to carve new pathways of life, as well as offer fresh hope and help for people, by entering into employment in poverty stricken areas, where they are so desperately needed.

Should nurses work in poverty stricken areas? Yes, but only if and when they are aware of the situation which they are entering into and are prepared to accept serious challenges.