Medical and psychiatric patients mixed
The hospital acknowledge the complaint and the said it helped them to identify the gaps in their institution.
GLENESK resident, Anita Panaino is not happy after the treatment she got from South Rand Hospital, though the hospital apologised.
She said after she was admitted for stress and anxiety at the hospital, on the fifth day she was transferred to fourth floor’s Ward 7 which is a psychiatric ward.
“I did not belong there, all I needed was to rest not traumatisation. Patients should be categorised according to their condition and housed in a safe environment,” she said.
Anita explained to the COURIER that in the seven days she stayed on ward 7, not even once did the nursing staff come to check on any of the patients. She asked how dangerous psychiatric patients could be allowed to roam freely in a ward with highly sedated patients.
She said usually blood pressure and medication are done individually and in orderly manner, but there it was 20 or more psychiatric patients pushing and shoving to get in first. In the meantime there was no guarantee that correct medication was given to the correct patient.
“Hygiene is non-existent because at night the medication is spread on a table and nurses have little control as the patients keep on touching and interfering. Worse, all patients drink their medication out of one cup,” explained Anita.
One other thing that bothered Anita is the lack of competency. “The nursing staff, including the night matron seemed unconcerned, or incompetent to deal with other patients, putting our lives in danger. I was constantly threatened by one young lady who since she came in she was always making gestures that suggested she will kill me. In 10 days that I spent at the hospital, I made no progress medically and emotionally. Also the medication they prescribed was too strong for me and they admitted to that,” she said.
The hospital acknowledges the complaint and said it helped them to identify the gaps in their institution in order to introduce a strategy to close them so they can render quality care to their clients.
In a letter issued to Anita the hospital apologised for the bad experience she had during her hospitalisation. The letter said they understand that she is scared to come to the hospital after medical and psychiatric patients were mixed and they hoped the remedial action will be taken to render quality care and to be proactive in identifying the risks at the hospital.
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