Dr. Drew urges help for Federation’s nurses

Photo: Dr. Terrance Drew

By: Erasmus Williams

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, April 20^th 2017 – Months after members of the public raised serious concerns about the deteriorating healthcare services, the Federal Minister of Health, Hon. Eugene Hamilton and his Junior Minister, Sen. Hon. Wendy Phipps are yet to implement solutions.

The St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) caretaker for St. Christopher 8, Dr. Terrance Drew, who has been raising the issues, said Wednesday none of the issues have been addressed.

“Never has it been so bad with respect to the delivery of healthcare. Added to that, is the continuing ill-treatment of our healthcare professionals. The plight of the nurses continues and to date not one issue has been addressed. All of their grievances have been falling on deaf ears,” said Dr. Drew, who also pointed out several vacancies still exist for the past two years in the Ministry of Health. “No one knows who is in charge.”

A few months ago, Minister Hamilton, a guest on Freedom 106.5 FM “Issues” programme declined to tell the public who is the Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, months after Mrs. Ionie Willett was sent on forced leave. The leave which should have ended in November has been extended.

Dr. Drew said the nurses work under strenuous circumstances and tremendous pressure at the healthcare institutions around St. Kitts.

“All are females. Many of them are single parents and head of households and those who work at the three hospitals, work on the shift system. The morning shift is from 7 am to 3 pm. After two to three days, they rotate to the afternoon shift which runs from 3 pm to 10 pm or 11 pm and then overnight from 10 pm to 7 the next morning. Many times they lament they have no one to care for their children and have to seek assistance from family member,” said Dr. Drew, in an effort to paint a picture of the daily routine of nurses.

“There are not enough nurses on the wards as a result of a shortage of nurses. They work non-stop as well as overtime without overtime pay. They care for a large number of patients. They are stressed out. They are overworked and they constantly cry for help,” said Dr. Drew.

He said nurses in St. Kitts and Nevis “work under circumstances that nurses elsewhere will never, ever work under.”

Dr. Drew pointed out that despite the many issues, the nurses ought to be complemented for their continued dedication to the profession.

“Sometimes we want to compare them to nurses in the United States, Canada, England and Europe, but I will submit to you that having specialised in the United States, nurses there do not work under the same circumstances that our nurses have to work under,” said Dr. Drew, who pointed out that in the United States, nurses have unions that negotiate better working conditions.

“In the US, a nurse cannot see more than five patients per shift and those in the ICU cannot go beyond three patients,” said the local internist.

“Here in St. Kitts, one staff nurse can see up to 20 patients per day and sometimes she has other nurses, but those nurses cannot administer medication and injection and if there is an emergency on the ward, she has to take charge,” said Dr. Drew who pointed sometimes the work is so much the nurses forgo lunch.

He identified other areas of deficiencies in the system including nurses who recently underwent the midwifery programme at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC) with a new pay cut policy under which they received four-fifths of their salary.

“The pass rate was 100 percent in December. We should be proud as we have well-trained nurses,” said Dr. Drew, who disclosed that the nurses are yet to received their full pay from the Ministry of Health.

Dr. Drew promised that a new St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) Government will resolve these issues.

“We hear you.  We understand you. We  will have a programme to address issues. we have the plan for you and the programme and policy for you so that you can be respected,” said Dr. Drew, who accused the Timothy-used Team Unity Government of disrespecting the nurses profession. 

*This article was posted in its entirety as received by SKN PULSE.  This media house does not correct any spelling or grammatical errors within press releases and (or) commentaries. The views contained within are not necessarily those of SKN PULSE.