Introducing the work of nurses at the Ama Clinic, the only medical institution on the island

Ama Town is famous as an island of challenges. Supporting this is a stable medical service.
Today, I would like to introduce a little bit about the work of the nurses at the Ama Clinic, the unsung heroes of Ama Town.

First, an overview of the Ama Clinic

● Facility Name: Ama Town National Health Insurance Ama Clinic
● Departments: Internal Medicine, Pediatrics
　　　　　Psychiatry (twice a month), Orthopedics (9 times a year), Ophthalmology (9 times a year)
● Facilities and Equipment
　Examination rooms, treatment rooms, X-ray room, laboratory, endoscopy room, emergency treatment room, rehabilitation room, speech therapy room, ophthalmology examination room
*When necessary, we coordinate with medical institutions outside the island to perform emergency transport via doctor helicopter or boat.
● Number of outpatient patients: Average 83 per day
● Emergency transport outside the island (2021)
　Helicopter transport: 7 cases, Boat transport: 22 cases
● Number of after-hours patients (2021)
　19 cases/month (including 3 late-night cases)
● Staffing
　2 full-time doctors, 3 part-time doctors, 10 nurses (including 2 part-time), 2 occupational therapists, 1 physical therapist, 1 speech-language-hearing therapist, 1 clinical laboratory technician, 7 administrative staff (including 4 part-time), and 5 other staff members

Consultation hours are 8:30–11:00 for general outpatients and 15:00– for appointment-based outpatients. In between, we also conduct house calls and facility rounds. After 17:15, nurses take turns working on-call for after-hours reception. On weekends and holidays, one nurse is on duty, supporting the island's medical care 24 hours a day, 364 days a year.
In addition, we handle the island's medical care "in its entirety," including school health checkups and vaccinations.

Coordination with administrative and welfare facilities is carried out through the Shimane Prefecture medical network service "Mame Net" and bi-monthly "care meetings" to share patient information. As the only medical institution on the island, and because staff members have face-to-face relationships, information coordination is carried out smoothly.

Visitors often say, "It's amazing that a clinic of this size has a CT scanner!", "The staffing is excellent!", and "The coordination with the administration and nursing care facilities is amazing!"

We asked the nurses! What is rewarding about your job?

1st place: Being able to see patients get better
2nd place: Being able to face patients with care
3rd place: Because so many patients come, I feel a sense of being useful

Because they know each patient deeply, many expressed that seeing smiles and healthy appearances is what makes the job rewarding. When working at a large hospital, the relationship with the patient ends upon discharge, but at the Ama Clinic, you meet patients not only when they come to the clinic but also on the street or at the store. Sometimes, patients who were transported off the island return in good health and say things like, "Your injections are better than the ones at that other hospital."

We asked the nurses! What is difficult about your job?

By far 1st place: There are so many tasks to learn!

Because patients of all ages, from children to the elderly, and patients from various departments come, a wide range of knowledge is required.
Also, there are many tasks other than nursing that you cannot experience at hospitals in the city, such as nurses also handling pharmacy duties.
Some said, "It's the front line of primary care. It's very educational as a nurse," and "I'm happy to learn new things every day," while others said, "It was especially hard for the first six months."
"Since everyone has struggled, we will kindly teach those with a gap in their career or new graduates," they said.

We asked the nurses! What kind of person is a good fit for the Ama Clinic?

・Those who want to learn a wide range of nursing skills
・Those who want to experience everything
・Those tired of ward work or questioning their current nursing practice
・Those interested in community medicine
・Those who want to work as a nurse while utilizing their perspective as a public health nurse
・Those who like the elderly and like people
・Those who want to live on a remote island and enjoy daily life

Because the scope of work is broad, they mentioned that people who can grow with a positive attitude are well-suited for the role. The training system is very comprehensive, and basically, a senior staff member will work alongside you for six months.
Also, nurses who have moved to the island (I-turn) all agree that their private lives have become more fulfilling. You can see the ocean on your commute, grow vegetables on your days off, or learn to fillet fish. There is almost no overtime, and the commute is short, taking only about 1 to 10 minutes, allowing you to make meaningful use of your time.

\We are holding an online information session!/

Ama Clinic is looking for new colleagues to join our team. (Nurses, pharmacists, dental hygienists, dental assistants (no certification required), and medical office staff)
On Sunday, December 18th, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, we will hold an online event where current staff will share the reality of working and living on a remote island.
Please refer to the following for details!