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Ward remains closed

Surgeons and nurses growing impatient

Kristen Murphy
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 19/01) - Surgical patients are at risk everyday Stanton Regional Hospital's surgical ward remains closed, says surgeon Chris Blewett.

Post-operative patients occupying pediatric beds since the summer face unnecessary health complications posed by their exposure to diseases such as pneumonia and influenza, he says.

"It's not that people are dying in the streets but the type of care they're receiving is not the best it could be," Blewett says.

Hospital CEO Dennis Cleaver has yet to announce when the 14-bed surgical ward will re-open. He says patients' health is not in jeopardy.

"That's certainly not true but I don't want to get into a debate with Dr. Blewett through the media," Cleaver says.

The ward closed in June last year -- as it has before -- as a cost saving measure. It remains shut down after a proposed merging of wards was kiboshed by surgeons in November.

Dr. Roger Purnell, Stanton Regional Hospital's medical staff president says re-opening the ward hinges on hiring more staff.

"We have enough surgical nurses but they're filling positions on the pediatric ward," Purnell said.

"Stanton is in the process of recruiting pediatric nurses but there is a nation-wide shortage and it's difficult to get people to the North," Purnell says.

The staffing shortfall is taking its toll.

"Nurses feel alienated and demoralized. Specially trained nurses are not doing what they were trained to do and some are close to leaving," Blewett says.

"This could have been avoided if we'd been consulted."

Union of Northern Workers president and nurse Georgina Rolt-Kaiser is meeting with hospital administrators on Jan. 30.

"What I can say is there is a county-wide nursing and health care professional shortage," she says.

"Each hospital department depends on each department and the way things are now, patients are losing out and the quality of service is diminishing."

Blewett is meeting with colleagues to discuss future plans if the ward remains closed beyond mid-February.