The lack of staff continues to devastate the hospitals of Outaouais. Géraldine Simard, 82, had to wait eight hours in a reclining chair in the Buckingham ER while she suffered from back pain.
His family complains that he received inadequate health care due to a lack of staff.
On Tuesday, Michael Simard, the lady’s son, had to contact paramedics as he found his mother in tears and complaining of back pain. According to Mr. Simard, the paramedics were very reluctant to transfer the mother to the emergency room, asking him on several occasions if he was sure that transportation was needed, given the many hours of waiting in the emergency room.
Geraldine Simard had to wait eight hours in a reclining chair despite back fractures.
Photo: Courtesy of Michael Simard
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Once in the emergency room at Buckingham Hospital, Ms. Simard was given the lowest priority, despite her complaints. For lack of beds, the 80-year-old had to wait in a recliner. Subsequent examinations showed that the latter had a broken back attributable to osteoporosis.
” It took about 8 hours before he saw a doctor. “
On Friday, Ms. Simard had to be transferred to Wakefield Hospital, taking her away from her husband and his network. We didn’t really feel welcome at first
Mr. Simard said, adding that he felt the frustration of the already overworked staff. I felt my mother was creepy.
In an interview, Mr. Simard explained that his mother also had to spend more than a day with a fecal matter soiled bandage, as no one had had time to change it and the family had refused to do so.
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Michael Simard’s mother is now at Wakefield Memorial Hospital.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Patrick Louiseize
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I would have had better veterinary care for my dog than for my mother
he points out. It does not make sense!
Despite insufficient care, Michael Simard does not blame the nursing staff, but worries about the many patients who are not lucky enough to have a large and present family like his mother. During her hospitalization, Mrs. Simard was able to rely on her family to feed her, bathe her, follow her staff as they did not have time to take care of her.
He is asking for better services for the elderly, starting now. Words are not worth it, actions are what it takes
he says, in an interview.years of waiting for the services to be set up, she doesn’t even have five days to wait. “,” text “:” My mother doesn’t have five years to wait for the services to be established, she doesn’t even have five days to wait. “} } “>My mother doesn’t have five years to wait for services to be put in place, she doesn’t even have five days to wait.
” What is important to me is that my mother is being treated, that she is safe and that she is not in pain, that’s all. “
In the midst of the provincial election campaign, Michael Simard hopes his message will be heard by party leaders.
By email, the Outaouais Integrated Health and Social Services Center (CISSS) indicated that it is unable to comment on this specific case for confidentiality reasons.
However, we can say that when he got to the emergency room, the occupancy rate was abnormally high.
we defend ourselves. In order to provide care as quickly as possible, we sometimes offer patients waiting for a bed a transfer to another hospital in the region.The agreement is first validated with the users, otherwise the process may be mandatory.
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The entrance to the Wakefield Memorial Hospital
Photo: Radio-Canada / Patrick Louiseize
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This explanation does not convince the Union of Care Professionals of the Outaouais. Its president, Karine d’Auteuil, argues that understaffing, closed beds and overload of work compromise the quality of care.
” The government has been lying in the sand for decades. “
The latter includes the family’s dissatisfaction with the lady’s transfer. It’s not something we like to see,
she adds. This patient was referred for safe treatment.
Ms D’Auteuil asks the government for long-term solutions and not just bonuses. She also wants the implementation of a law on the patient-nurse relationship and the improvement of working conditions to already support the staff breathless.
With information from Gabriel Le Marquand Perreault, Alexandra Anger and Rémi Authier
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