Many Americans know the Caribbean island of Antigua as a luxury vacation destination. For Wenica Brodie, it is just home, and she plans to go back there after she finishes her RT program at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, TX.
Unmet needs
A nurse by training, Brodie decided to come to the U.S. to study RT to help fill what she saw as some unmet needs in her country.
“My main focus was on a particular class of patients,” Brodie said. Specifically, she wanted to know more about treating those diagnosed with sickle cell disease and presenting with Acute Chest Syndrome.
“I was curious to find out if there was another treatment modality that could help them recover more quickly,” she said.
Brodie is currently in her junior year of the B.S. degree program and says the things she’s learned so far are helping to clarify some of the things she was taught in nursing school.
“So I now have a better understanding of why things are done,” Brodie said.
She believes combining her nursing knowledge with the knowledge of an RT will better equip her to manage her patients, particularly those with cardiopulmonary issues.
Driving force
Exactly how she will use her new skills in Antigua is still up in the air, but Brodie is sure she’ll be able to put them to good use improving the care received by patients in her country.
Indeed, it was her focus on patients that drove her to come all the way to the U.S. to learn more about respiratory care in the first place.
“My driving force is the satisfaction from seeing a patient being able to leave the hospital in a better state than when they first arrived,” she said. “I also cherish the moments that you become like a family member to your patients so they can relax and heal in a caring environment.”
