Improving Health Care In Barbados
Seriously ill patients at one ward at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital no longer have to moan or throw bedpans to attract a nurse. Each patient has been issued with a small bell.
Oh… wait a minute. The bells didn’t come from the government, they came from the Cardiac Support Group when the government decided that repairing the broken electronic nurse alert system was not a priority.
But remember folks…
We Had A Hell Of A Cricket Party!
ALL PATIENTS of private ward A6 of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) now have a means to alert nurses if they need assistance.
This is after a presentation of bells to the ward by the nine-year-old Cardiac Support Group yesterday.
Staff nurse Ingrid Ibrahim, who was in charge of the ward for the day, said the hospital used to have an electronic system but that had degraded over the years.
She said the ward was being refurbished, so the decision was taken not to repair the system as yet, which left the facility in need of a way for patients to contact nurses.
She said the QEH had purchased bells but did not have enough for all the patients. Critical and immobilised patients were given priority.
Ibrahim said the ward had 22 beds but it had never been at capacity so they were able to manage.
President of the Cardiac Support Group, Angela Emtage, said it was formed shortly after her own operation. Members provide comfort and breathing exercise equipment for the patients.
… read the original story at The Nation News (link here)
25 Comments
September 29, 2007 at 6:03 am
Did they provide the bells with different pitches so the nurses could tell which patient was ringing?
“Tingalingaling”
“Hmm, that’s the C sharp bell, must be Mr. Jones in Room 5 needing a bedpan again.”
“Tingalingaling”
“That one was B flat. Mrs. Smith in Room 6 is probably having a choking fit trying to eat the dry sodabix biscuit she got served for breakfast – lucky for her I took that refresher course on the Heimlich maneuver. OK Mrs. Smith, I’m on my way.”
“Tingalingaling”
“Let’s see, that was an F natural, and that’s Mrs. Brown in Room 7. She probably did a wee wee in bed waiting for Mr. Jones to get through so she could use the bedpan. I’ll grab some clean sheets and head down to her room.”
Of course nurses without perfect pitch, could find themselves at a disadvantage in this situation.
September 29, 2007 at 10:57 am
UNBELIEVABLE
When I saw the ‘Nation’ article I had to check the date to see if it was the 1st of April. But alas this is not an April fool!!!
The picture is CLASSIC. A group of serious looking medical people holding teeny wee bells in their hands!!
Should have bought the patients battery operated loud-hailers. That would be effective!
HA! HA!
September 29, 2007 at 11:58 am
15 MORE SWEET ONES
September 29th, 2007 at 11:09 am
http://www.nationnews.com/story/293786251916223.php
MORE BLP
***********************************************
The Barbadian electorate not so STUPID as yet !
After 13 years………why would we allow another 15 years of……
*** ” Out of Control ” spending at de O’Brien Development Corporation ( formerly UDC ) ??
#### Was this why he was brought out of RETIREMENT ????
*** ” Out of control ” spending on GREENLAND ????
#### Was this why over another $ 20 million of tax payers funds was FLUSHED down this Environmental MADNESS ????
*** ” Out of control ” spending on ABC ROADWORKS / FLYOVERS ????
#### Was this the reasoned it was announced recently that the COSTS had SOARED TRIPLE ????
Owen Arthur and the BLP……..must be called to account and UNDERSTAND that is why there was governmental changes in..
*** St. Lucia !
*** Bahamas !
*** British Virgin Islands !
*** Jamaica !
*** And in Antigua……….of all PLACES !
The electorate everywhere put a STOPPED to the ROT !
Barbadians will be no DIFFERENT !
September 29, 2007 at 12:42 pm
What next for luddite charity donations?
Give the doctors bicycles to get to work (All their cars have been repossessed because they never get paid on time!)
Ambulance brigade will be bolstered by a dozen emergency horse and carts!
10,000 candles to be donated for lighting the operating theatres!
Various bits old bottles provide a good magnifying effect – who needs an operating microscope!
LUNACY!
Charity health organisations (such as Barbados Diabetic Association etc..) do a fantastic job.
They should NOT be funding the health care system!
September 29, 2007 at 12:48 pm
Bloggers all, please read up on the principals and philosophy of Georg Hegel (Hegelian dialectict principal). The stories and non-stories will make so much sense. The newspapers make so much sense now. Suppressing of free information and the truth is an enactment of the “Hegelian principal”. This philosophy governs how we feel,how we vote, how we buy, how we fear,and even how we listen and read the news. This philosophy is real, it’s the basis for all economics policies by large privately own corporations (i.e Federal Reserve) and of-course powerful governments (i.e USA,UK). “The truth is more important than the facts”.
September 29, 2007 at 2:59 pm
I visited 2 people that were admitted to hospital and saw rhis situation for myself, I thought what a level we have fallen to that hand bells are the order of the day, just makes one ask the question if the intercom does not work will the catsscan,or MRI work?
What are we doing about removing Jerome Walcott from this post do we have to march for them to get the message?
September 29, 2007 at 3:27 pm
How are the staff going to hear when the heart machine fails over the constant ringing of the bells?
Christmas concert at the QEH this year, the well practiced patients shall ring in the season with fund raising, as they perform for visitors with their own bell chorus.
September 29, 2007 at 3:31 pm
I am reliably informed that the said Dr Walcott does not even have a PC in his office!
That I explains a lot!
September 29, 2007 at 3:36 pm
On the lighter side……
When a panel of doctors was asked to vote on adding a new wing to their Hospital, the Allergists voted to scratch it and the Dermatologists Advised no rash moves.
The Gastroenterologists had a gut feeling about it, but the Neurologists Thought the administration had a lot of nerve, and the Obstetricians Stated they were all laboring under a misconception.
The Ophthalmologists considered the idea shortsighted; the Pathologists Yelled, “Over my dead body”, while the Pediatricians said, “Grow up!”
The Psychiatrists thought the whole idea was madness, the surgeons Decided to wash their hands of the whole thing and the Radiologists could see Right through it!
The physicians thought it was a bitter pill to swallow; and the Plastic Surgeons said, “This puts a whole new face on the matter.”
The Podiatrists thought it was a step forward, but the Urologists felt The scheme wouldn’t hold water.
The Anesthesiologists thought the whole idea was a gas and the Cardiologists didn’t have the heart to say no.
In the end, the Proctologists left the decision up to some arse in Administration.
September 29, 2007 at 3:57 pm
Very good waterboy
September 29, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Owen wants another 15 years. Sounds like Dictatorship to me.
Lets get serious. How can a first world country have 1 single Hospital and a Cardiac ward with patients using toy bells to call for help?
This is not funny anymore. BOTH of my parents died in this hospital in circumstances where better care may have extended their lives.
I strongly suggest that if you have to live in Barbados, talk to your personal doctor and make arrangements for him to help you if you are hospitalised.
Pressure must be put on this government to fix the QEH as a matter of absolute urgency.
We have a great $300million Cricket Stadium.
A State of the art $200million PRISON.
Soon to be $180million Highway with FLYOVERS.
And one single Decrepit Hospital with very good staff working in appalling conditions.
September 29, 2007 at 11:56 pm
I guess the bells also double as entertainment.
September 30, 2007 at 12:12 am
I must endorse ‘Pelican’s urge to read up on George Hegel and his Hegelian principle as i think most major things in the international news ( and i guess to a lesser extent here too ) are there to elicit specific reactions and emotions . Not because they are true or newsworthy or interesting.
The world is being pushed in a particular direction on purpose not because it is somehow natural for certain things to come about.Control of the mass media is essential for this manipulation to proceed and thats why you have very few players that actually run the worlwide media machinery.
Just think about it , all of a sudden words and phrases like ‘Globalisation’…’War on Terror’…’Aids pandemic’…’Weapons of mass destruction’….’Terror cells’ are some that come to mind that get used an extraordinary number of times . I believe this is to instill fear and a call for something to be done . Of course the perfect solutions (or so they seem) will be miraculously provided. Ummm… what a relief.
WAKE UP BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.
September 30, 2007 at 12:31 am
Illuminator:
This blog likes you to hide your light under a bushel.
If the truth be known, it may frighten the horses.
September 30, 2007 at 1:26 am
The Blp are at it once again they have posted on thier site where someone was asked to donate $ 500.00 to BFP and got robbed, I felt it necessary to defend the BFP blogs and I think others should as well these people are not only dishonest they are bastards at spin.
Dear Blp,
You have reached a new low in your example to the citizens of this nation, because at the BFP site they throw some lashes your way which in my view you are most deserving of because you have given them the fuel to do so with, your attacks are not exclusive so to the DLP gets their share the only difference is that according to the recent posting on the BFP you have the method and the means to spy into the living rooms of the average Barbadian and intrude in their privacy as per their report of yesterday.
To publish the story above as you have is a clear indication as to the extent that you perceive this blog to have hurt your standings in society, by printing or creating this trash as above is a sad sad statement of your intent and your standing, for you to write something as dishonest and as misleading as this as your mission to discredit BFP is a dishonest and bastardly act.
You know not all that you see on these blogs is real but then again much of it has truth attached to it, why not address the question asked on BFP such as why the tripling of the cost of the Prison, why the tripling of the scope of works of the road works project but only a doubling of the cost according to Mascoll moving from $ 120 million to the unbelievable figure of $ 360 million ?
When you address those issues it may negate the role of BFP, until then we the taxpayers are left to ponder is their real corruption and dishonesty in gov’t or is it a myth or is it just BFP?
Smarten up guys you are suppose to represent the gov’t of the day and when you slide into priting dishonest untruths as you did above it does nothing to enhance your reputation as being an honest gov’t.
September 30, 2007 at 4:20 am
I can’t help but wonder who the obviously demented person is.
Has he/she ever thought of voicing a proper posting? He/she may not agree with all the posts but there are better and more intelligent ways of replying to any of the comments.
May God help Barbados.
September 30, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Pelican said:
Illuminator said:
Dr Norman Livergood is a psychologist and a former head of the Department of Artificial Intelligence at the US Army War College where, in the course of his duties, he also researched topics like psychological warfare and the use of brainwashing and propaganda techniques to mold public opinion etc.
He is of the opinion that the US media is using the same types of brainwashing and propagandizing techniques he studied and wrote about while at the Army War College on the US public (and by extension on much of the rest of us, thanks to the worldwide influence of the corporately owned and controlled US media) .
His article, called “Brainwashing America”, can be found on the web by googling the following term: Norman Livergood Brainwashing America.
September 30, 2007 at 8:16 pm
What’s that they say?
Believe NONE of what you hear
and ONLY HALF of what you see
- only FEELING is the naked truth
October 1, 2007 at 12:51 am
The brains were being washed since 66′, not many people over the age of 40 can even conceive this country with out a BLP or DLP. More big tricks with out the corned beef and biscuits this time around.
October 1, 2007 at 2:10 am
I guess with christmas season around the corner they figured the “bells” would be appropriate!
I wonder if the Intensive Care patients received Cap-Guns or Knock-Outs to ignite a more rapid response.
What a good joke this is. Typical Typical Typical… First world dreams and third world mentalities.
When it’s all said and over we’ll have the best highways available to get our patients to the hospitals… But the emergency beds wont lock into place (TRUE STORY, had a family member lose IV support on an Ambulance as it took a sharp corner and the bed rolled away… – no one packed surgical gloves! They wouldn’t touch him for fear of contracting HIV, stopping the spewing blood with his ownt-shirt all the way to QEH)
Now with the Bells they may be able to take the sound off of the heart monitors and allow patients to watch for a flatline on their own.
October 1, 2007 at 6:22 am
In 1961 as a young man, I stood in the bus stand in Bridgetown one night listening to the then – Errol Barrow – outlining what he hoped to do for Barbados. I said to a friend beside me “I am going to vote for him and his party”. An old man overheard me and said “are you foolish boy!, can he give you corned beef and biscuits.” I had never heard the term before, but allegations were later made that corned beef and biscuits were being distributed in Queens Park.
I did not go to Queens Park, so I cannot in all honesty say corned beef and biscuits were distributed, but that was the mindset of some people at the time. I could even name the organization which was reputed to be doing the distribution, but that would serve no purpose- it was a long time ago.
October 23, 2007 at 2:23 am
[...] Government, Politics and Development, Barbados We were horrified to read Barbados Free Press articles about the current conditions at the QEH, and especially to see the graphic photo described in one [...]
November 26, 2007 at 12:53 pm
I’m surprised that no one has commented on the letter to the Nation by Dr. Ismael refuting claims by the QEH about the “new” surgical procedure performed for the first time by an English doctor. Dr Ismael claims that the procedure was performed “without fanfare” by other doctors at least 10 years ago and countless times subsequently. IF Dr. Ismael is incorrect I expect the QEH to issue a statement refuting his statement, failing that I would expect resignation(s) from the people responsible for this misinformation. However this is the Xmas season and I also expect Santa Claus to deliver that new Porsche…..
November 28, 2007 at 12:44 am
So. The Minister of Health has now declared that a new hospital will now be built.
Hmm. So soon after the BLP Matriarch Dame Billie stated that our hospital was excellent?
So, what is the story? Either you are now saying that Dame Billie was talking rubbish, or you are now spending money for the sake of it.
Actually, my own opinion is that yes, a new hospital is needed, but as PM-In -Waiting Thompson notes, where are the feasibility studies and projections to clearly assess the needs and logistics of such investment?
Why anyone would put the new hospital in a flood zone, where the existing one is, is incredible. Not to mention the complete lack of space for expansion.
There are far better locations, central and with more space for expansion than the proposed site.
Is this another ‘rush through’ before the election as Thompson is stating?
Why the eagerness to get this off the ground? Contracts need to be issued that fast? Although the Government may be worried about losing the election why rush into this?
Thompson makes a valid point on waiting until after the election.
But then, who will be awarded the contracts for the construction of the hospital and installation of equipment?
Ho ho hum and a bottle of rum…….
January 5, 2008 at 8:29 am
You will be horrified to note that it is not only here in Barbados that healthcare is taking a backseat.
In Trinidad in the past few days a four week old baby died in a hospital A&E after allegedly waiting two and a half hours for treatment.
Apparently, the mum got her there, suffering from high fever and other symptoms, at 11:00am and she had not yet been seen at 1:30pm, when she passed away.
What is wrong with our Governments that our health services can be allowed to deteriorate so?
Priorities, huh?
Peace