HELPING REFUGEES THROUGH SCREENING
Since the passage of the Refugee Act in 1980, the United States has admitted more than 3.1 million refugees (U.S. Department of State, n.d.). In 2020, about 11,800 individuals arrived in the United States as refugees. Additionally, 31,000 individuals were granted asylum (Refugee Processing Center, 2020).
Refugees suffer from chronic physical illnesses, mental illnesses, and substance abuse at higher rates than the general population (Refugee Wellness, 2021). Posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression are the most common mental health symptoms that refugees experience or express (Refugee Wellness, 2021). Nurses working with refugees have a useful tool in the Refugee Health Screener (RHS), developed in a community health setting to remedy the lack of screening and intervention for the emotional distress common among newly arrived refugees (Monin et al., 2021).
The RHS is best administered at the same time as other health screenings or intakes to reduce stigma. Using this tool early in the resettlement process helps those working with individuals to recognize both physical and emotional concerns. The screening also tends to normalize experiences by letting the individual or group know that many refugees have a hard time because of past experiences and the added stress of adjusting to a new country (Refugee Wellness, 2021).
ISOLATION TRANSPORT POD DEBUTS
A Norwegian medical technology company has released the EpiShuttle, an innovative device for transporting infectious patients (EpiGuard, 2021). This isolation pod allows the persons who are known or suspected to have an infectious illness to be transported without danger of infecting medical personnel involved in the transport process.
EpiGuard created the device for use in ambulances, airplanes, and helicopters-civilian and military. A patient can remain in the pod for up to 24 hours at a time. The EpiShuttle has ports for medical personnel to access the patient; the pod can be disinfected and reassembled after use, allowing the transport vehicle to be immediately ready for another patient transport as it does not need cleaning.
The EpiShuttle is the company's first release. The company, which was established in 2015 by a group of doctors at Oslo University Hospital, said the device can be used with patients with any infectious condition, even Ebola. One international air ambulance service has used the EpiShuttle for 70 flights of COVID-19 patients in 47 countries.
EpiGuard. (2021, April 21). Safe patient transport made easy with EpiShuttle. https://epiguard.com[Context Link]
Monin K., Batalova J., Lai T. (2021, May 13). Refugees and asylees in the United States. Migration Policy Institute. https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/refugees-and-asylees-united-states-2021[Context Link]
Refugee Processing Center. (2020). Proposed refugee admissions for fiscal year 2021: Report to Congress. https://www.wrapsnet.org/documents/Report+to+Congress+for+FY+2021+USRAP.pdf[Context Link]
Refugee Wellness. (2021). Refugee health screening tool. University of North Carolina. https://refugeewellness.web.unc.edu/refugee-health-screener-rhs-15/[Context Link]
U.S. Department of State. (n.d.). About refugee admissions. Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. https://www.state.gov/refugee-admissions/about/
CONSTANT NEED
The author of this daily devotional, Chris Tiegreen, catches one's attention daily. His writing makes the Word clear, understandable, practical, and alive. Combined with Scripture itself, one can sense the Holy Spirit illuminating the path.
We must settle in our own minds the fact that we are never self-sufficient and always dependent. Great successes do not eliminate deep needs; it's a fact of the human condition. We have to get used to it.
We must battle constantly against two relentless urges: the urge to think great victories should be followed by self-sufficiency, and the urge to let visible circumstances rule our thinking. Elijah, the great prophet of Israel, gave in to both. So do we. Frequently.
Never let the visible rule. Your victory yesterday does not decide your status today. Neither do your enemies. You need God desperately every day equally, regardless of how threatening-or how successful-things look. (p. 193)