Doctors, nurses cross swords at South hospital

THE Public Services Association (PSA) has intervened to investigate a complaint against senior staff nurses of the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) by senior doctors over the care of patients. Up to late Wednesday, nurses were still meeting with representatives of the PSA and SFGH’s matron, Romain Cole. Meanwhile, the doctors have called on the hospital’s acting Medical Chief of Staff, Dr RP Maharaj, to investigate why a patient who underwent surgery this week was not given nursing care during a very critical stage of recovery from a complex operation.

The complaint was made by Dr Brian Foon, Senior Anaesthetist, to Dr Stephen Budhooram, Chairman of the Theatre Committee (SFGH). In turn, Budhooram wrote a letter to Chairman of the South West Regional Health Authority, Imtiaz Ahamad. Ahmad has denied there was any threat by surgeons to close the hospital’s operating theatres. He said, “There is a concern about the Recovery Room and the matter is being sorted out. We met with the nurses who have denied any threat to close the theatres. I will be very surprised if that happens,” added Ahamad. In a two-page letter, Foon stated that a nurse failed to provide the necessary nursing staff for the recovery phase of a post-operative patient. The patient, who underwent an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, Foon stated, had no nurse in the room to take care of her.

Foon stated that the patient was put in a bed next to the sink in the Recovery Room. “Once the situation had improved, even with no other patient in the Recovery Area, no effort was made by the nursing staff to recover the patient,” Foon complained. Stating that a particular nurse seemed not to have grasped the seriousness of what “had taken place,” Foon said he received a message from the nurse that none was available to assist in recovering the patient. Foon also stated in his letter, “These are my concerns on this matter. Nursing management displayed an inability to appreciate the importance of the role of the Recovery Area as an integral part of the provision of safe recovery from anaesthesia and surgeries.” Foon copied his letter to P Brooks, Theatre Manager, Dr A Chatoorgoon, head of the Anaesthetic Department of the SFGH, Dr W Diaz, Senior Medical Officer, and Dr C Bridglal, Senior Medical Officer (Anaesthetics.)