My Aunt has been admitted at a state hospital for the past two weeks, due to loosing the circulation of blood in her foot and gangrene poisoning her leg. This led to her leg being amputated. While at the hospital she has developed pneumonia and other ailments which have affected her health. I have always heard people complaining that the health system and professionals in South Africa are bad, I can now account to this ideology.
The nurses working at Groote Schuur surgical ward F25 have shocked me in their lack of hospitality and shameful behavior towards their patients. The nurses at this ward lacked interest in monitoring the patients, assisting these patients with washing and also assisting them with the toilet pan, as these patients are not able to freely move to the bathroom. A young nursing assistant was asked to assist my Aunt by picking up her bedside pan and going to clear it after she sat with the bedside pan next to her for almost an hour without it being removed. The young nurse in a rude manner replied and said “It’s my tea-time; I don’t have time to collect shit pans!”
I now have a firsthand experience of what the majority of South Africans experience in our ailing health system. Despite the lack of resources in public hospitals, the main problem comes from the lack of ubuntu and batho-pele principles in the hospital staff. I am of the opinion that if the attitude of the staff changes it will improve service delivery and also the recovery time of patients because they will be positively motivated to get well.
This is really painful LT, I think this kind of profession is a calling. It's such a pity that to some people it's just a job. Our government needs to do more in our public hospitals.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very touchy issue, it talks about the health service of our country. People are dying all the time and it seems like no-one is doing anything about it.
ReplyDelete