Saskatchewan will be going to the voting poles on Monday November 7th 2011, and to no surprise for many, a promise of a new hospital was made by the party seeking re-election. Four years ago the same promise was made, now the Saskatchewan party is saying, "See, we now have a completion date for your new hospital."
Moose Jaw is currently a 100 bed hospital in need of a lot of upgrades. What the Saskatchewan Party has announced is a new "30% smaller" but state of the art hospital of this city of 31,000 +. The new facility will be run as a "lean business", thus, they figure, reducing costs, waiting times for surgery, etc.
As it stands now there are not enough beds in Moose Jaw, not enough nursing homes and not enough doctors. We are going to lose more doctors if this government gets re-elected for they have no idea what health care is really all about, much less what health care consumers really need.
My hope is that the doctors in this area will speak up, and loudly, for they are the only ones to whom governments ever really and truly listen to.
As for you nurses out there, for gods sakes, more importantly for your patient's sakes....say something...and say it loudly!
Friday, November 04, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Health Care and Political Promises
It is election time in Saskatchewan again and of course health care is being used as a platform. No surprise there. Moose Jaw has waited many years for word on a new hospital to replace the aging one we have now. Just last year (perhaps it was 2 years ago) the ICU unit was revamped. Now, just prior to election time, we are told a new hospital will be built, beginning in 2013 and completed in 2015.
Of course my initial reaction was, "Just how small is the hospital going to be if the politicians feel it can be constructed within a two year time frame?"
It seem sour new hospital will be run under a "lean system" and be 20 beds smaller than it is now. The new facility will be a mere 80 beds (as rumor would have it). Keep in mind please that this is a city of approximately 32,000 people and many smaller facilities in and around the city have been severely downsized.
Here is my second "Letter to the Editor" on the subject
Letter to the Editor
Moose Jaw Times Herald
Not against a “lean system”, just lean thinking
I was dismayed to hear the new hospital Moose Jaw will receive is going to be only 80 beds; that certainly explains its’ ability to be constructed in just 2 years. Adopting a lean system in health care should make a 100 bed hospital function more like a 120 bed hospital. Unfortunately a mere 80 beds will likely leave this city’s residents in much the same boat as they are now, including long wait times for procedures and hallway medical care.
In brief, the lean system used in health care was adopted from the systems used by manufacturing companies to increase production and decrease associated costs. It can have many benefits for governments and health care organizations, including decreasing wastes of time and materials, better patient flow, less stress on health care staff and decreasing incidences of medication and care errors. With the money saved, more dollars could be put towards increasing training seats for doctors and nurses, help with tuition costs, more school health nurses and better access to health care practitioners for all health care consumers. More and better quality care nursing homes could also be witnessed as a result from better run systems.
Unfortunately, lean thinking seems to have seen only the immediate cost savings. The current practices of NHS services in Britain have caused a tremendous decrease in the quality of health care in their system. Is Saskatchewan to follow suit? Will Moose Jaw add this as a claim to fame? I will be most interested to hear what all political parties have to say on this issue as election day fast approaches.
Wendy Getchell
Moose Jaw
Of course my initial reaction was, "Just how small is the hospital going to be if the politicians feel it can be constructed within a two year time frame?"
It seem sour new hospital will be run under a "lean system" and be 20 beds smaller than it is now. The new facility will be a mere 80 beds (as rumor would have it). Keep in mind please that this is a city of approximately 32,000 people and many smaller facilities in and around the city have been severely downsized.
Here is my second "Letter to the Editor" on the subject
Letter to the Editor
Moose Jaw Times Herald
Not against a “lean system”, just lean thinking
I was dismayed to hear the new hospital Moose Jaw will receive is going to be only 80 beds; that certainly explains its’ ability to be constructed in just 2 years. Adopting a lean system in health care should make a 100 bed hospital function more like a 120 bed hospital. Unfortunately a mere 80 beds will likely leave this city’s residents in much the same boat as they are now, including long wait times for procedures and hallway medical care.
In brief, the lean system used in health care was adopted from the systems used by manufacturing companies to increase production and decrease associated costs. It can have many benefits for governments and health care organizations, including decreasing wastes of time and materials, better patient flow, less stress on health care staff and decreasing incidences of medication and care errors. With the money saved, more dollars could be put towards increasing training seats for doctors and nurses, help with tuition costs, more school health nurses and better access to health care practitioners for all health care consumers. More and better quality care nursing homes could also be witnessed as a result from better run systems.
Unfortunately, lean thinking seems to have seen only the immediate cost savings. The current practices of NHS services in Britain have caused a tremendous decrease in the quality of health care in their system. Is Saskatchewan to follow suit? Will Moose Jaw add this as a claim to fame? I will be most interested to hear what all political parties have to say on this issue as election day fast approaches.
Wendy Getchell
Moose Jaw
Sunday, April 03, 2011
Political Elections and Health Care
Canada is forced to go to the political election polls again, and again the "want to be Prime Minister" and their power hungry parties are using health care to solicit votes. I do hope most Canadians have enough sense by now to realize the promises of money and fixes for health care are basically nothing but lies. Always have been.
The hospital in Moose Jaw Saskatchewan has been promised money for upgrades, perhaps even a new hospital, over several elections. Little has happened because there is always an excuse made once the elected government takes office.
Please tell me people can learn to stop being so damn gullible?
Canada no longer (as far as I am concerned and witness) has a health care system to impress anyone!
The hospital in Moose Jaw Saskatchewan has been promised money for upgrades, perhaps even a new hospital, over several elections. Little has happened because there is always an excuse made once the elected government takes office.
Please tell me people can learn to stop being so damn gullible?
Canada no longer (as far as I am concerned and witness) has a health care system to impress anyone!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Drug Shortages Affecting Nursing Care
If you work in hospital, or nursing homes, doctors offices, or perhaps even in a pharmacy as a clerk, as I am, you may already be well aware of the growing drug shortages. As far as I am aware at this time it is all across North America.
The FDA keeps a list of current shortages and their apparent reasons; anything from manufacturer no longer makes, increased demand or even problems with raw materials are all cited as reasons. Reasons aside, nurses need to keep abreast of what is happening,and why, because health care consumers may ask, and you need to have some sort of answer.
Nurse Practitioners will definitely need to keep on top of this growing problem as they it certainly may affect what they are able to prescribe. Nurses in hospitals should be kept up to date by management and pharmacy, not just so they can help support answers to questions that patients may have, but because they need to know how to safely, and accurately, administer meds they may not be overly familiar with.
What is so scary about these shortages? In the case of the United States it seems the government has little if any effect, or control,over the situation. These drug shortages will, and do, affect the health of many.
I would like to know what nurses opinions on this subject are and any experiences they think would be important to share. How we care for our patients and assist doctors in care is going to be heavily impacted by these things that are happening today.
The FDA keeps a list of current shortages and their apparent reasons; anything from manufacturer no longer makes, increased demand or even problems with raw materials are all cited as reasons. Reasons aside, nurses need to keep abreast of what is happening,and why, because health care consumers may ask, and you need to have some sort of answer.
Nurse Practitioners will definitely need to keep on top of this growing problem as they it certainly may affect what they are able to prescribe. Nurses in hospitals should be kept up to date by management and pharmacy, not just so they can help support answers to questions that patients may have, but because they need to know how to safely, and accurately, administer meds they may not be overly familiar with.
What is so scary about these shortages? In the case of the United States it seems the government has little if any effect, or control,over the situation. These drug shortages will, and do, affect the health of many.
I would like to know what nurses opinions on this subject are and any experiences they think would be important to share. How we care for our patients and assist doctors in care is going to be heavily impacted by these things that are happening today.
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Health Care Reform in the USA to be Shelved?
It's amazing what an election will do, even a mid term one that sees a change of power in the house. We know that health care in North America (yes, Canada too) needs an overhaul. Far too many people are without basic care, no family doctor and when an emergency happens they are left with a bill they can not pay. So one government bravely steps up to try and do something, against many odds, realizing the little guy, the citizen, needs assistance. Unfortunately government is too often nothing more than "big kids" playing "big kid" games. They cry out "it's my turn. I want to be king of the hill". In the end the little guy is forgotten again. Perhaps it is time for the little guys to speak with a very big voice.
My prediction, and this includes for Canada, if governments don't grow up, ten years from now there will be no nursing homes, fewer hospitals (both because of no staff) and people will be dying at home, in the streets, or within the walls of overcrowded hospitals. Plus, in an effort to get care, the citizens of these countries will be seeing self employed practitioners in their homes. Hopefully most of these will be learned in some way and not prove to be a danger to these folks health and lives.
I have already published my first book about the nursing profession, it's time to publish my predictions for the future of health care in the ugly years to come.
My prediction, and this includes for Canada, if governments don't grow up, ten years from now there will be no nursing homes, fewer hospitals (both because of no staff) and people will be dying at home, in the streets, or within the walls of overcrowded hospitals. Plus, in an effort to get care, the citizens of these countries will be seeing self employed practitioners in their homes. Hopefully most of these will be learned in some way and not prove to be a danger to these folks health and lives.
I have already published my first book about the nursing profession, it's time to publish my predictions for the future of health care in the ugly years to come.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Is the Nursing Profession Wicked?
A good comment from one of my readers; thank you. Let me tell you why I gave my book, "Nursing: A Wicked Profession" such a controversial title.
People love controversy. That is a big part, in my opinion, why local and federal news programs focus more on "bad stories" than good ones. It is why series such as CSI survive so well on prime time television.
The 2 main sections of the book deal with, one, how "wickedly difficult" it is to practice this profession in a time when health care consumers are so educated, and so impatient and demanding. It also doesn't help that many employers prefer to look at patients as "consumers" of goods; the good, or service, of course being health care. The other main section of the book looks at the "wicked power" the nursing profession holds. A power that many nurses themselves have no real knowledge or handle on. Did you know that many nurses are inventors; that many items used in care facilities today are there because of the ingenuity of a nurse? Did you know nurses invented the first "crash cart"?
The beginning of the book does look at one more area of wickedness. I felt this was necessary in order for readers to know I was being totally honest in my stories. Most news coverage about nursing, and nurses, are stories that stem from some professionals who have used their position of trust and care to do harm to others. I don't spend a lot of time on this, nor do I try and make excuses for these actions, but I did feel it was necessary to address.
"Nursing: A Wicked Profession" is meant as a book in defense of one of the most powerful yet misunderstood professions around the world. I may no longer be practicing as a nurse but I whole heartedly will stand up in the defense of the profession, doing whatever I can to push it forward and help nurses stand with heads high and proud.
Wendy Getchell
People love controversy. That is a big part, in my opinion, why local and federal news programs focus more on "bad stories" than good ones. It is why series such as CSI survive so well on prime time television.
The 2 main sections of the book deal with, one, how "wickedly difficult" it is to practice this profession in a time when health care consumers are so educated, and so impatient and demanding. It also doesn't help that many employers prefer to look at patients as "consumers" of goods; the good, or service, of course being health care. The other main section of the book looks at the "wicked power" the nursing profession holds. A power that many nurses themselves have no real knowledge or handle on. Did you know that many nurses are inventors; that many items used in care facilities today are there because of the ingenuity of a nurse? Did you know nurses invented the first "crash cart"?
The beginning of the book does look at one more area of wickedness. I felt this was necessary in order for readers to know I was being totally honest in my stories. Most news coverage about nursing, and nurses, are stories that stem from some professionals who have used their position of trust and care to do harm to others. I don't spend a lot of time on this, nor do I try and make excuses for these actions, but I did feel it was necessary to address.
"Nursing: A Wicked Profession" is meant as a book in defense of one of the most powerful yet misunderstood professions around the world. I may no longer be practicing as a nurse but I whole heartedly will stand up in the defense of the profession, doing whatever I can to push it forward and help nurses stand with heads high and proud.
Wendy Getchell
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Nursing Fatigue and Patient Safety
So how does nursing fatigue affect patient safety?
This isn't new news for most of us, but at least this is an official report. I recommend all nurses ensure their local politicians get a copy, and read it. If necessary, you might want to remind them that they may be a patient in hospital some day. At this point in time it's almost a frightening prospect.
This isn't new news for most of us, but at least this is an official report. I recommend all nurses ensure their local politicians get a copy, and read it. If necessary, you might want to remind them that they may be a patient in hospital some day. At this point in time it's almost a frightening prospect.
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