Dr Mark Bisanzo, his wife Sheila Bisanzo, and research assistant Kelly Nichols have all departed Nyakibale after nearly nine months of impressive work. They’ve successfully trained six new Emergency Nurse Practitioners and collected six months of impressive data. The ENPs graduated in late March, when they had a “white coat ceremony” (of which they are all very proud), and received certifications… followed by a twelve hour dance party!.

Dr Sara Nelson transitioned the outgoing team, and spent the last month working clinically with the ENPs and working on the ECCN curriculum with two residents from Maine Medical Center.

I (Dr Heather Hammerstedt) arrived just a few days ago to relieve Sara. I’m absolutely energized by the results of our ENP program. The ENPs are functioning independently, assessing patients, performing procedures, and saving lives– in ways that they never could have just a year ago. I’ve seen two people’s lives saved literally in the last six hours, who would have died without the ENPs prompt and appropriate treatment. The ECCN curriculum, under the tutelage of Dr Bisanzo, is truly a success. I’ll spend the next several weeks working with the ENPs to recruit next years’ class and looking to expand our work via meetings with District Health Officers and the national Minister of Health… to save even more lives.

We can’t do it without you though! Please visit our Donate page and give the ENPs a chance to save another life today!

Keep checking back here to see how the ENPs are doing, or visit our Facebook pagefor photos from Dr Nelson’s month (coming soon)!
–Heather