Another day, another learning experience. We started our day as immersion students by sweeping the floor. We were able to clean the different rooms except for the delivery room because we were not allowed to enter while wearing outside shoes.
After sweeping, Ma’am Honey and the other midwife asked us to make another batch of OS (operating sponges). While we were making them, they noticed that we were doing it the wrong way. They explained that the OS should be bigger and more square-shaped, not rectangular, so it can properly cover their hands when they use it to clean the mother during delivery. We were really shocked because we had already made a lot and wrapped them. We explained that we only followed the instructions given to us on our first day. Thankfully, they did not get mad at us.
We made more OS compared to our first day because there were three of us working, and Ma’am Honey was guiding us. The atmosphere was not awkward at all because Ma’am Honey played music while we worked. We also had random conversations and got to know her better. After finishing, we packed all the OS we made, and Ma’am Honey said she would sterilize them since we were already done.
In the afternoon, we had another task, which was making cotton balls. I was actually excited to do this even though I did not know how to shape them into perfect circles at first. It was a good thing that Ma’am Honey taught us again. We got cotton from a cotton roll or pad, gently pulled it into a small piece, and added a little more cotton in the center if needed. Then we pressed the middle with our thumb, lightly twisted the bottom to hold the shape, and rolled it between our palms in a circular motion until it formed a round cotton ball. We were not able to finish because the cotton pad was too thick, so we will continue the next day.
Today, I also learned something new about sterilization. The tape that was first given to us for packing the OS was not the correct one. Ma’am Honey told us that we should use indicator tape instead. This type of tape has faint stripes that change color after the materials have been sterilized. The color change shows that the items were exposed to the sterilization process. We were surprised when she told us that the tape is very expensive — around 2,500 pesos per roll — so we should only cut small pieces when using it.
Today was another meaningful day of learning inside the clinic, and I am thankful for the new knowledge and guidance from the midwives.