March 18, 2005

Surgery at sea: MGHers reflect on Project HOPE mission

Kimbrough with the ship's ICU team

The lives of 42 MGHers were changed in January when they boarded the Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy as part of the Project HOPE relief mission and began helping the countless victims of the tsunami disaster, which devastated parts of Southern Asia Dec. 26. Now that they are back on solid ground, Jane Kimbrough, RN, of the MGH PACU, and Rob Sheridan, MD, of the MGH Burn and Trauma Services, shared their experiences of life at sea and going ashore to help people in desperate need.

On the ship, Kimbrough worked in the ICU/PACU with nurses from around the world. "In the beginning, everyone was talking about how their home hospitals did things differently," says Kimbrough. "After a couple of days, we were like a well-oiled machine, and it felt like we'd always worked together."

During Sheridan's weeks aboard the ship, he saw an interesting mix of cases in the operating room, ranging from hernia repairs and cholecystectomies to amputations and burn reconstructions. He also received e-mail advice from MGH physicians that helped him do a chest operation for an infectious complication of pneumonia and a muscle rotation flap to cover an infected open leg fracture. The two operating rooms were used seven days a week, 12 hours a day. Overall, 125 surgical cases were performed.

While the majority of time was spent on the ship, both Kimbrough and Sheridan were able to go ashore to Banda Aceh to assist in the medical facilities on land. Kimbrough assisted in the wards, while Sheridan screened surgical cases in field hospitals. Both described their frustration at not being able to help patients because of the lack of supplies — problems that could have been easily solved back in the United States.

Sheridan and Ellen Branch, RN, of Ellison 4, with the ship's first patient and his father

Kimbrough and Sheridan were inspired by the people cared for. "The people there were remarkable," says Kimbrough. "Some have lost everything and everyone, yet they are the warmest, kindest people. They would hug us a lot and want their pictures taken with us too."

Sheridan adds, "I was surprised at how easy it was to form a bond with the patients and their families." He still keeps in touch with one of the patient's extended family members via e-mail. "I feel very fortunate that I was able to participate in this mission," says Sheridan. "And I'm grateful for the support of the hospital, of MGH Surgery and my colleagues for covering for me."

The hospital created the MGH Tsunami Relief Fund in response to the MGH community wanting to help in the relief efforts. The fund is dedicated to the overall relief effort in Banda Aceh, which includes the rebuilding and enhancing of the TB/Pulmonary Ward of the destroyed Banda Aceh University Hospital. To make a contribution, visit http://is.partners.org/mghintranet/tsunami/index.htm.

For more details about the MGHers who participated in the Project HOPE mission and their experiences, visit www.massgeneral.org/projecthope.