nurses

Just days after decrying her stay at the Princess Margaret Hospital, a woman died from health complications.

Kenise Darville took to social media last week Wednesday in a more than 20-minute live stream video where she condemned PMH for its quality of healthcare.

The video went viral and blood donations were made to get her back to good health. She was said to be doing well since Tuesday when her husband Jerad posted to social media, “Because of your support we now have the best doctors tending to her. She is in special care and has improved tremendously in her spirits.”

Kenise’s passionate video showed her with tears streaming down her cheeks as she cried, “It [inadequate care] needs to stop. They [hospital staff members] are reckless, nonchalant, no empathy.”

Though details are limited as to the sickness she suffered and how she died, Kenise said she suffered from back pain which prompted her to check into the hospital at 3 am on January 2^nd. Showing blood bruises on her hands, she complained that her blood count was low which doctors confirmed was at 20,000. This prevented her blood from clotting.

Kenise anticipated that doctors would order more platelets as promised but said they later returned on the eleventh suggesting that she seek blood donation from family and friends. At this time, her blood count was at seven thousand.

“These people doing a whole bunch of foolishness,” she said angrily. No hospital is supposed to run like this. PMH needs to be exposed.”

Kenise said had she known earlier, she could have asked family for blood donations a lot sooner.

“They didn’t see the urgency in that. They sit by and let all these days pass. No doctor came to see me on Friday. The weekend is hell. It’s worst on holidays.”

She was soon prompted to stop the ranting and recording by a nurse who stopped by her room where she lay in isolation.

“Miss, at this point, some people just have to go down for a cause and this a course I’m ready to go down for,” she said.

“When will you’ll start caring for people inside this hospital?” she asked the nurse.

The mother of three boys who was also the owner of a creative shop said her mother died weeks earlier and was buried three days prior to her admittance to the hospital.

And though she knew the bad experiences at the medical center, she had no medical insurance to receive private care at Doctor’s Hospital.

“No hospital suppose to run like this. PMH needs to be exposed.

“They [doctors] don’t read your notes and ask what you in here for. It’s ridiculous.

“This entire system just needs to change.”

Minister of Health Renward Wells defended the government’s position on overtime pay for nurses for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wells said the government paid out some $162,000 to nurses from the Department of Public Health for working overtime. But it was later discovered that some nurses may not have been paid the overtime money due to time logged in manually but was not digitally recorded.

Why it matters

Some members of the Bahamas Nurses Union led by its president, Amancha Williams protested in Rawson Square on Wednesday morning demanding the overtime money promised to them by the government.

Pineridge Member of Parliament Frederick McAlpine in the House of Assembly on Wednesday suggested that Wells was deceptive for saying nurses were paid.

The big picture

When Duane Sands served as Minister of Health, healthcare workers on the frontline of the pandemic were guaranteed a $5,000 honorarium for March, April and May.

This was when the Ministry of Health was having a hard time finding health officials willing to handle COVID patients in the healthcare system.

What Wells says

Wells said when he became the Minister of Health in July, he was informed that nurses in the Department of Public health were not paid during Hurricane Dorian and some nurses were not paid for overtime during the pandemic.

“As minister, I asked the Ministry of Health for all documents that should have been logged—the quantum, the cost was given to this minister to go to the cabinet for the cabinet to make a decision to pay. The cabinet paper was written. I was told that the $162,000 for the nurses for March to September was all the log for the work. And that was paid,” Wells said.

Wells said he was surprised when the new year rolled in, and he heard that some nurses who worked overtime were not paid.

He vowed that the situation will be cleared up once the claims being made, are verified.

According to Wells, nurses are the only frontline workers who have already received the overtime pay, while doctors and support staff await the payment.

As COVID-19 numbers swell, Minister of Health Renward Wells admitted the shortfall in the healthcare system, exposed by the pandemic.

“Surges in infection particularly expose us to shortfalls of healthcare providers due to illness,” Wells said during his COVID-19 Update Communication in the House of Assembly, on Wednesday.

Last week, numerous pregnant women aired their concerns with the Princess Margaret Hospital, saying they were treated poorly while giving birth, with little attention from nurses.

And since then, two women have died after giving delivering babies at the country’s premier institute.

These cases have raised public alarm.

said the nation’s healthcare personnel are its most valuable resource in combating COVID-19.

How many health workers are impacted by COVID-19?

194 health care workers, inclusive of physicians, nurses, and allied health staff, are unable to deliver care significantly, which is impacting the delivery of care to COVID and non-COVID patients.

How does Wells promise to fill the gap?

Wells said officials are identifying and engaging healthcare providers both within and outside of hospital settings whose workloads have been reduced due to the cancellation of elective procedures, outpatient visits, and the reduction of non-COVID-19 hospitalizations.

“We have also assessed the staff capacity to support the care of critically ill patients, particularly during surges. Trainees, nurses, physicians, technicians, retirees, and other support staff have all been co-opted to fill gaps across the healthcare workforce.

He said his ministry has re-engaged 29 physician senior house officers, who will immediately be added to the medical services capacity. He added that the facility at Breezes is also geared toward alleviating some of these stressors.

The Health Minister said, “We have seen unprecedented cooperation among healthcare workers.

“With the Public Hospitals Authority, Doctors Hospital, and Department of Public Health acute care delivery institutions, staff are working together in a focused, professional and seamless fashion for the best outcome for patients and the good of our Bahamas.”