Healthcare Workers Morale Down, KKH Emergency Department Overwhelmed By Patients
Source: Facebook, Nazry Isa
The children’s emergency department at KK Hospital was overwhelmed on February 14 by what seemed like a surge in emergency cases.
Source: Facebook, Nazry Isa
Nazry Isa shared his thoughts on the current situation in the post, saying that healthcare workers are trying their best to cope with the situation and for the public to go to the emergency department only when necessary.
A netizen agreed with Nazry and she shared her sister’s experience who is a nurse at KK Hospital.
Source: Facebook, Nazry Isa
Sgnightingales shared a few anonymous posts by nurses who said that they cannot cope with the surge of cases in the emergency department and that they are concerned with the well-being of the patients and caregivers alike.
Source: Instagram, sgnightingales
In the post, they mentioned that the lack of a system in the decontamination or decon area is concerning. Decontamination area is set up outside the emergency department where patients with symptoms such as fever, runny nose and cough, are screened.
The space constraint and lack of equipment is also a cause of concern as doctors and nurses need it to assess the patients.
Some said that there are more than 50 patients waiting at the decon area daily and that most of them have mild symptoms. While they understand the parents and patients worry, that should not justify the verbal abuse hurled at healthcare workers for the long waiting time.
The emergency department is in dire straits as the manpower is being stretched thin. Cross deployment doesn’t seem to help as these healthcare workers are overwhelmed with the workload.
There are those who believe that the emergency department should be better manned with more headcount as it is the focal point of the hospital.
And then there’s a jaded soul who knows that the emergency department will remain the way it is because management cares more about cost rather than the welfare of the workers.
While the healthcare workers understand and sympathize with the situation, please don’t overwhelm the emergency hotline more than it already is. Visit the GP if symptoms are mild.
Visit the GP if symptoms are mild. The current protocols for covid positive cases includes self isolating for 72 hours.
It seems like hospitals across Singapore are going through similar situations with the manpower crunch and overwhelming demands.
The pandemic took a toll on the healthcare industry and more healthcare workers took to social media to share their grievances.
Earlier this year it was reported that 1500 healthcare workers resigned in the first half of 2021.
Source: MOH
Speaking to a nurse who wants to remain anonymous, they mentioned that more needs to be done to retain the current staff and attract new ones. An increase in wages, better support from the management and protection from harassment act (POHA) enactment to deter abuse from the public are some of the things they believe will help empower the healthcare workers.
At the end of the day, all these healthcare workers want is appreciation and better support from the management and public alike.
Reporter’s Opinions: I understand the parents’ concern over their children’s health but overwhelming the emergency departments won’t get anyone immediate treatment, not even you.
Stop calling the emergency hotline and demanding special treatment over something stupid like a sore throat or sore arm. There have been countless advisories about misusing the emergency hotlines. Does it take a fine for it to sink into your thick skulls?
It seems like the ‘rona made everyone forget about the existence of the common flu. Some symptoms may just point to that, not everything is Covid related.
I’ve seen quite a number of entitled behaviour in the emergency department when my mother was admitted sometime last year. From minor issues like acid reflux and sprains to those with slightly more concerning ones like cancer relapse and bacterial infection. Guess who made more noise?
Yeah, the one who had a bad acid reflux but was demanding to be treated like royalty. You’re not dying, get over yourself and you will get your week’s worth of MC.
However, as per my observation, it is concerning to see children becoming Covid positive almost weekly. This is of course from the various IG stories that I view on a regular basis, not an actual statistic.
There are two outbreaks concerning children right now, HFMD and Covid. Both are equally contagious and painful for them, so I understand the parents’ concern.
However being a dick to the healthcare workers won’t help, they are humans too.
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