Nurse no-show costs patient his job
It has been 26 days that injured Steven Miller (33) has been lying helpless and unattended to in a hospital bed at the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital.
POLOKWANE – It has been 26 days that injured Steven Miller (33) has been lying helpless and unattended to in a hospital bed at the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital.
Miller was admitted to the hospital on Sunday June 22 with serious injuries to his right leg, hands, arms and back after being involved in a motorcycle accident.
According to his wife, Mari, since being admitted he has been ignored by both nurses and doctors.
“He was taken to the surgical ward several times but then not operated on with no real reasons given,” she alleged.
“One of the reasons that was given was that there wasn’t time for the operation to be done as some of the personnel were on their way home.
Others simply said they did not care what happened to him,” Mari claimed.
“We are absolutely desperate and there seems to be no assistance forthcoming from anywhere,” she said.
Steven was dismissed from his job as he was unable to tell his employer when he would return to work. Mari was forced to resign from her job, as she had to spend a lot of time looking after her injured husband, as well as their children.
The family now has not income, and depends on assistance from family and friends to survive.
Mari said she had been in contact with the hospital management and the department of health, and she had been promised that the matter was being investigated, and she would receive answers as soon as they were available.
“All I can do is wait and hope that the promises made come to fruition and that my husband will receive the medical assistance needed,” Mari said.
Health spokesperson, Adéle van der Linde, confirmed Mari’s call, and said she and other employees were doing all they could to resolve the matter quickly.
“We condemn in the strongest terms any unwillingness of the personnel to execute their duties. We call on the public to report such incidents in full, so that the guilty parties can be dealt with.
“This can be done by sending an e-mail to PMHCcomplaints@gmail.com or by contacting 0800 919191 during office hours,” Van der Linde said.
