Dear Santa,
The countdown to Christmas is on! I know that you are very busy finalizing your trip from the north pole and this year may be an even greater challenge through this Covid pandemic. I have already set up my Christmas tree awaiting your arrival but did not want to miss the opportunity to send you my Healthcare Wishlist. I am at home recovering from a surgery after being admitted to the Dawbiney Ward at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital a few days ago. I do hope that you can meet my four simple requests on my wishlist:
- Admission Pills
On the day of my admission, I walked up to Information Desk where a polite young lady gave me directions to the cashier to pay my admission fee. The cashier was just as polite. On Dawbiney Ward, I was greeted by Dr. McIntyre and Nurse Laville, who took the time to explain the admission process to me. It was my first time performing a surgery and I had no idea what to expect or what was expected of me. Amidst many interruptions, Nurse Laville filled out my form while I waited for a bed to be allocated to my name. The ward was very busy, and Nurse Laville had to stop several times to answer phone calls, answer questions from interns, answer requests from the ward patients plus attend to visitors at the door. Dr. McIntyre commanded authority on the ward with his presence, he knew exactly where to move and fit each missing piece of this ward’s puzzle, providing great support to his team. The admission pill that Dr. McIntyre and Nurse Laville is taking, please send me some more so I can share generously on the other wards.
- A Dose of Patience for Patients
Santa, the night was a tranquil and silent one until the ‘patient dominator’ of the ward started calling out to the nurses. I do not mean to exaggerate but the ratio stood at nineteen ‘nurse’ calls per minute. Interestingly, the nurses answered almost every one of these calls while attending to other patients simultaneously. I am not sure if the nurses’ patience and tolerance are tested during their training, but the nurses on Dawbiney Ward all showed so much patience with their patients. Santa, please add a dose of patience that I can share generously with patients at the hospital.
- Covid Protocol Guide
My husband could not visit me on the ward as he could not present a recent Antigen test, which was one of the mandatory protocols to visit patients on the ward. In Dominica, it is said that if you do know a friend on the ward, you can bend the rules a bit and get your way. This is not the case on Dawbiney Ward! All visitors who did not have an Antigen test was not be permitted on the ward, regardless of name, status or relationship. Santa, please print some copies of the Covid Protocol Guide, that I can share with the other wards.
4.The Nursing Passion Potion
During my stay at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital, I received care from several nurses and doctors. Nurse Laville was exceptional in explaining the admission process. Dr. McIntyre and his other doctor assistant was also welcoming and professional. Nurse Faddoul and her team in the Theater Department made me so comfortable that I literally felt that I could spend a few days in their care! My operating doctor; Dr. Ferreira was awesome and deserve an award. Nurse James though, has been added to my ‘heroes’ list. One of my friends informed her that I was admitted on the ward and asked that she provide any support that she can. During my departure, Nurse James packed my belongings and made several trips to my awaiting vehicle on the outside. She took the time to collect my medication and made sure that I understood my prescription. They must have had a dose of the nursing passion potion! Santa, please bring me some nursing passion potion that I can share with the health team at the hospital.
Santa, you do not want to know how many hours I had to wait outside on the day of my admission to get a bed! But guess what – it was worth the wait, after all!
P.S – Dawbiney is a ‘female only’ ward – but if you do grant the requests on my wishlist, you too, can share my experience at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital. Oh! One more thing – I know your budget has been cut since the pandemic but if you do have extra cash, a triple bubble for our health care workers would make Christmas a little merrier.
Merry Christmas!
A. Dalrymple
Dear Alice,
What is this? Send a thank you note to the nurses and doctors and be on your way.
A fellow Christian
This was awesome. You showed so much gratitude. Honestly this was lovely. We take so much time and write the negative it was good reading some positive things about Dominica. YES we need to give honor to whom it is due. KUDOS to you and your photo speaks volume. Very pretty. Get well soon.
Dawna, I’m addressing you as well as Teddy and I’ll make it short. Not because you or your family had a bad experience on Dawbiney ward means it’s true for everyone. I had surgery in 2014, just around this season I might add, and I was afraid I would be spending Christmas on the ward. Not the case, but my experience was good. I was treated politely and with care by all the staff.
Saying this to say, don’t use DNO as your forum to castigate the medical team. There are higher channels you could write, detailing your experience and always try to put yourself in others’ place for a moment.
LOL when people write the higher ups no one answers and no one cares. Also, 2014 and now are two drastic times. There has been a massive exodus of the nurses ( the kind ones at that. Example nurse Hannah RIP who died last year).
If you think people “castigating” just go there for bare minimum service and come and back tell us.
Be happy you haven’t gotten this poor treatment. But do not negate the terrible treatment people are CONSTANTLY receiving. If people do not speak about what is happening how will it ever be fixed? Example the young lady who went on social media to say what bad service she got, the CEO of DCFH has a WHOLE press conference addressing her concerns and other general concerns. So do not be too quick to say people are criticizing.
There are a few kind nurses but they are in the minority. Its all fun and games to say people castigating or criticizing until it reaches your doorstep.
Amarossa,
Your experience in 2014 would have been quite different from the experience of patients admitted to the hospital in the last two years. You as well as others who seem to gaslight people fail to acknowledge that the service delivery is getting worse as the years go by. Do NOT invalidate someone else’s experience when the majority faces the same poor treatment.
There are many factors which contribute to the treatment patients receive at the DCFH.
Again, Do NOT invalidate other people’s poor experience and treatment and suggest that they should not speak about their experience. The fact that many people have received poor treatment speaks volumes and means there is a problem at DCFH which needs to be evaluated and remedied in order to offer exceptional service to everyone, not just a few.
Think about this: If an abuser has not abused you, does that mean he/she is not an abuser and we should ignore all the victims?
Don’t invalidate people’s experience. Please.
You either crazy or like noticing. The person’s experience is not yours! So move there with your 2014 experience. Seven years pass the people you met must be in UK already. Some of you just cannot let people breathe. Go cook your rice grain by grain if is idle you idle.
Nice one Alice, Santa must already be on his way im sure, stay blessed.
Dear Alice santa little helper looks like the little skirrit told you to write this. But don’t worry one day you’ll really find the true words to describe the treatment and need you will have in the hospital. From Rudolph red nose
HOLY SPIRIT ACTIVATE!
Wickedness is your portion. I don’t know if you were paid. If you had a truly had good experience good for you.
But the horror I experienced first hand. I do not wish to return there. Priest and pastor need to come and pray for the nurses in Dawbiney.
Do not attempt gaslight people, and do not underplay the wickedness that goes on up there. VERY VERY few people have the “experience” you claim to have had.
There are a FEW nice nurses( those you mentioned) and yes a FEW pleasant doctors ( also those you mentioned). But the MAJORITY of them, God help us all!!!
HOLY SPIRIT ACTIVATE!