Jude Morcom of Regina writes:
Regarding the story about the new hospital in Moose Jaw being dirty:
It is totally unacceptable that a room in a hospital has not been cleaned for 10 days and has used syringes and other garbage under the bed. I know how I would feel if this happened to my loved one at the end of their life.
A family member of mine just spent three days in Ward 3E in the Regina General Hospital. I was able to compare this with how things were three years ago when I visited the hospital every day for a month. First, there is no longer a patient/visitor lounge on this floor – it is now used for overflow. Also, the patient kitchen is now locked and only the nurses can get in. If a patient wants even a cup of tea, they have to find a nurse to get it for them. Is this a good use of a nurse’s training and valuable time? Is it fair to patients?
Nothing I saw impressed me as being for the better. In fact, it was obvious that compared to a few years ago, the patient experience has deteriorated. As for cleanliness, hallways on the main floor were filthy, some totally black before they were cleaned. This is a hospital. Cleanliness is important. Halls need to be cleaned hourly when necessary, not once every eight hours or so.
Is lean to blame for these shortcomings? I don’t know. All I know is a hospital stay is very different now than it was before lean was launched. It has not improved the patients’ lot one iota.
