PoSGH staff need education in patient care

THE EDITOR: I have a serious concern with the nurses and doctors at Port-of-Spain General Hospital. On February 16, 2004, I entered the hospital concerning an asthma attack. After waiting hours to be attend to, I was warded at Ward 23. First to begin with, I was not assigned to a bed. I was later transferred to another ward; I had to walk which made my asthma worse because there were no wheelchairs available.

Later on I was being transferred back to Ward 43. I still did not have a bed. The nurses and doctors showed no interest in my discomfort. I complained of chest pains and the nurse said there is nothing they could do. I had to spend the night on the bench. I eventually got a bed the next day. On the third day of my stay in the hospital, February 19, 2004 around 10.30 pm I started to have difficulty breathing. I looked up to find all the lights off at the nurses’ desk and the nurses were asleep in a room. My attack got worse, I struggled to a bench and sat there and waited to see a nurse. Eventually the phone rang and a nurse came out of the room.

I told her about my attack and her response to my news was of poor concern to her. She told me to go and get my face mask to take my medication. I told her I could not walk and she demanded that I go for it. After a long wait to see a nurse and knowing that they were asleep I became annoyed. So I asked her why they were asleep, she called me names and told me to mind my own business. After she gave me my medication she went back in the room.

To me these actions of nurses and doctors should not be conducted, because if someone in a worse condition than I am should have had an asthma attack they probably would not have been as lucky as I am. Doctors and nurses, well most of them need to be educated about their responsibilities and fulfil them. They must be ready for service and make their patients know that they are properly being cared for.

JEREMY LOVELL
Covigne Road
Diego Martin