KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCE

FACULTY OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF HERBAL MEDICINE

BHM 451: VACATION TRAINING

CLINICAL REPORT

NAME: ELIJAH KWAKU TETTEH ZORKU

PROGRAMME: BSC. HERBAL MEDICINE

CLASS: BHM 4

INDEX NUMBER: 8553519

REPORT ON VACATION TRAINING

AT
THE GREATER ACCRA REGIONAL HOSPITAL(RIDGE)

DATE: 10th October, 2022 - 18th November, 2022.

Prepared by
ELIJAH ZORKU
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to God Almighty, as well as to the
Medical Director of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge) for allowing me to have
my training at the hospital. I am deeply grateful to all of the administration workers,
especially Mr. Linus Vary, who provided me with unwavering support and guidance
throughout my training journey.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Hope Dessier (NP), Dr. Samuel Selasie
Adesie, and Dr. Elsie Addico for providing me with a wonderful opportunity to learn and
gain valuable experience under their supervision. Additionally, I would like to express my
profound gratitude to Dr. (PharmD) Florence Osei of the Pharmacy Department for her
invaluable guidance and counseling throughout my training at the hospital.

Furthermore, I would like to thank Mr. Ofori Ampah (Microbiology), Mr. Selorm Kwashie
(Chemistry), and Mrs. Patience Mensah (Reception) of the laboratory department for
providing me with comprehensive exposure to the various departments at the
laboratory.

I must acknowledge that the list of people who contributed to my success is extensive,
and I am thankful to all the staff who made my stay at the hospital fruitful and
successful. May God richly bless you all.

PREFACE

In this report, I provide a detailed and accurate account of my vacation training at the
Greater Accra Regional Hospital (RIDGE). For ease of understanding, the report is
divided into chapters, including an introduction, background, aims and objectives
(Chapter 1), activities (Chapter 2), evaluation and challenges (Chapter 3),
recommendations (Chapter 4), and acknowledgements (Chapter 5).

CHAPTER 1

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND
1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

CHAPTER 2

2.0 THE PHARMACY UNIT

2.2 LABORATORY

2.3 CONSULTING ROOM AND WARD RUNS

CHAPTER 3

3.0 EVALUATIONS AND CONCLUSION

3.1 CHALLENGES AND RECOMMENDATION

CHAPTER 4

4.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
CHAPTER 5

5.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The Greater Accra Regional Hospital, situated in North Ridge, Greater Accra Region, is a

renowned healthcare institution that provides excellent healthcare services to

Ghanaians and foreigners. The hospital is comprised of various departments, including

Emergency Ward, Main Out-patient department, Internal Medicine department, Family

Medicine department, Pharmacy, Dressing and Injection unit, Children’s ward, Maternity

unit, Males and female wards, Eye and Dental units, STI Unit, and laboratory. During my

6-week vacation training period, I was exposed to the significant departments related to

my field of study.

1.1 BACKGROUND

In fulfillment of the Herbal Medicine Program's obligations, every senior student in the

department must partake in a six-week intensive vacation training program at a related

institution, preferably a healthcare establishment. Following this, a report must be

presented for evaluation by the Department of Herbal Medicine.

1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The Vacation Training serves several important aims and objectives, including:
 ● Allowing students to assess their interest in their chosen field of study

● Providing students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a real work

environment, bridging the gap between theoretical learning and practical

experience

● Facilitating a smooth transition from university life to the world of work, while

also establishing contacts that may lead to job placement

● Ensuring that the Department of Herbal Medicine graduates meet the

expectations and requirements of the industry, as well as those of the University

and Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Kwame Nkrumah

University of Science and Technology

CHAPTER TWO

2.2 PHARMACY UNIT

Upon starting my work at the Pharmacy on November 14th, I received a warm welcome
from the staff and began my duties shortly thereafter. The pharmacy operates strictly
on a prescription basis, discouraging over-the-counter sales of medication. My main
goal was to familiarize myself with all orthodox medications, including their
mechanisms of action, dosages, side effects, generic names, and brand names.
Throughout my training, I received in-depth instruction on a variety of drugs, with
particular emphasis on anti-hypertensives, analgesics, and antidiabetics.

During my time in the pharmacy unit, I had the opportunity to learn how to read
prescriptions and translate them for patients. I was also instructed on how to properly
dispense medication based on the prescription, including the necessary calculations to
determine the correct quantity and dosage for the patient. Additionally, I gained an
understanding of how to identify drugs based on their respective classifications, such
as antihypertensives, analgesics, antitussives, and antidiabetics

2.1 LABORATORY

I commenced work at the laboratory on October 31st and was welcomed by Mr. Selorm
Agbesi, the Quality Assurance Manager, who provided me with an orientation and
introduced me to the department heads. My main objective was to gain knowledge
about the markers that are tested in the laboratory and their reference ranges. Mr.
Agbesi created a schedule that allowed me to spend two days each at the
reception/phlebotomy, microbiology, blood bank, chemistry, and hematology units over
a period of two weeks.

During my time in the laboratory, I:

● Transported lab samples from the reception to other departments, labeled them,
and recorded their information in the record book
● Had the opportunity to take blood samples at the reception/phlebotomy unit
● Received guidance on how to perform various laboratory tests, such as blood
grouping, urine routine examination, urine culture and sensitivity, H. pylori and
gram staining.

2.3 CONSULTING ROOM AND WARD RUNS

In the Family Medicine department, I spent three weeks in the consulting room where I

was introduced to Mr. Hope Dessier, NP, who provided me with an orientation and a

schedule for my training. During my time there, I had the opportunity to:

● Learn how to take a proper patient history and perform a physical examination

under the supervision of doctors.

 ● Observe and learn the process of diagnosis as well as how to interpret lab results

and imaging reports.

● Attend weekly educational lectures organized by the medical superintendent and

research various disease conditions such as malaria, diabetes, anemia,

hypertension, among others, for presentation at the end of the week.

● Participate in ward runs where I assisted in providing care to patients in the ward.

At the end of each workday, I was expected to share what I learned orally. This

experience helped me to improve my knowledge of medical procedures and prepare me

for my future career in healthcare

CHAPTER 3

3.0 CONCLUSION AND EVALUATION

I am immensely grateful for the vast knowledge and experience I acquired during my
short period of training at the hospital. The training was a great opportunity for me to
develop essential skills such as time management, responsibility, and interpersonal
relationship building with colleagues, nurses, Medical Officers, and all hospital staff.
Through the training, I gained exposure to a variety of health situations and conditions,
providing me with a realistic view of what to expect in the work environment. I have also
improved my communication skills and human relations not only with my co-workers
but also with patients.

The training has allowed me to apply the theoretical knowledge I have acquired in real-
life situations, giving me a practical understanding of how this knowledge translates to
patient care. I am pleased to say that the intended objectives, targets, and core values
of the vacation training were all successfully achieved during my time at the hospital.
Overall, I am extremely grateful for this valuable experience.

3.1 CHALLENGES AND RECOMMENDATIONS

I encountered some obstacles during my training, which include:

• The absence of an herbal unit at the hospital made it difficult to find someone to assist
with processing herbs.

• Due to the high number of interns at the hospital, I was unable to work at the
laboratory.

● To prevent such situations from happening to future interns, I suggest that

departments contact hospitals in advance to avoid any confusion or
inconvenience on the part of the hospital staff.
● In order to ensure that students receive proper care during their vacation clinical
training, it would be beneficial to send letters to all hospital departments
beforehand that include a list of names of the students who will be attending.
● Due to the absence of a herbal unit at the hospital, it was challenging to find
someone to help with processing materials.
● Because the hospital had many interns, I was not able to work in the lab. Going
forward, I recommend that departments coordinate with hospitals in advance to
prevent confusion and avoid these issues.
● To improve vacation clinical training for final year students, it would be helpful for
the Herbal Medicine department to create a new plan.