Intensive care nursing in Rwanda, 1994-1995

The deployment of Australian Military personnel in support of the United Nations Aid Mission in Rwanda (UNAMIR II) in August 1994 represented the first large contingent of Australian medical personnel since the Vietnam War. A kaleidoscope of emotions filled the minds of many deploying personnel before, during and after the deployment. Yet through this turmoil, there were many valued lessons learned. For many, it was a reality check--a return to the basics of life. This article is a personal account of the experience of an intensive care nurse working in a third-world country performing first-world medicine.