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GPHC maternity ward overcrowded – admissions reach record heights
… strained for staff, beds
By Tiffanne Ramphal
Peaking numbers of deliveries and admissions at the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Maternity Unit have once again put the strain on staffers to efficiently administer the best care while providing adequate accommodation.
Director of Nursing Services, Matron Audrey Corry, during a recent interview with this publication, noted that it has been a general trend over the years to see a peak in the number of pregnant women admitted and babies delivered at year end, well beyond the numbers encountered at mid year.
GPHC’s Post-Natal Ward
This usually presents a challenge, as during this period, the Unit is strained for staff to adequately monitor all patients in every section while having to cope with an insufficient number of available beds. According to the Matron, the rise in numbers “does not help to deliver good care.”
She explained that the hike usually starts in September and continues onto December, and sometimes into January of the New Year.
According to hospital records for the year thus far, the hike in numbers can be clearly seen with the hospital delivering babies in the 400s per month from February to May, then dipping into the 300s in June and July, only to climb right back up to 485 in August. The number then increased to 567 in September and then 607 in October. There were 520 deliveries recorded in January this year.
The Matron explained that the same goes for the number of pregnant women admitted to the Unit during this period, with the numbers rising as the year ends.
Statistics have proven though that the number of admissions into the unit far exceeds the number of deliveries. In the case of October, while 607 births were recorded, admissions totaled 927.
Matron Corry explained that this is due to the fact that women may be admitted to the wards, not necessarily to deliver, but to address peculiar illnesses acquired during the pregnancy. She noted that as the country’s primary referral centre, GPHC has an obligation to accept any patient who is referred from any health centre or hospital. On the downside however, fulfilling such an obligation often leads to overcrowding in the wards.
To address this dilemma, the Matron said that GPHC is looking to the other Regional Hospitals to help to “take the load off.” She said that on heavy days, staffers are forced to ask mothers to sit on chairs or in some instances to share beds with other patients.
She made reference especially to the Diamond East Bank Demerara Regional Hospital, the West Demerara Regional Hospital and the Dr. CC Nicholson Memorial Hospital located at the Golden Grove/ Nabaclis area, East Coast Demerara noting that if these institutions pitch in, overcrowding can be avoided.
The Matron said that the doctors at the GPHC are being very proactive in this regard, only admitting patients if it is absolutely necessary, so as to guard against the wards being full beyond their capacity.
“As soon as they come in, the doctor would examine them and administer the necessary care. They would not admit unless it is absolutely necessary.”
Further, severe understaffing at the Unit has been identified as lending to the strain experienced during the peak period.
Matron Corry said that of a total staff count of just about 90; with 30 on average managing each of the three shifts; the birthing room, operating theatre, pre and post natal units, admission room and labour room all have to be covered. “The strain is on the staff to do their best and to deliver the services. But they have no choice. It is tiring… taxing. But they try.” According to the Matron, only more midwives will curb this problem.
Still to be examined, though, are the provisions that are needed to be made to retain the current ones. She said that the Unit suffers as a result ‘losing’ its senior midwives, be it due to migration or through the search for greener pastures. “We are left with the juniors who are not provided with the guidance and the experiences of the senior staff.”
The Matron said that only one third of the staff could be considered senior staff. “We have to find ways to retain out seniors… make the conditions and benefits more attractive so that they would feel good about coming to work.”
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