The Bhutanese Leading the way.
In a concerning development, the Emergency Ward at JDWNRH has been tackling the growing numbers of patients this year despite limited staff.
Recent statistics in the emergency ward at JDWNRH indicate a steady increase in the volume of patients seeking medical attention. With 2,838 patients in January to 2,429 in February, and this further increased to 3,056 in March. This upward trend continued with 3,629 patients in April and 3,517 patients in May. However, the increasing patient load is worsened by a shortage of healthcare staff, presenting challenges for the hospital in providing timely and efficient care.
Speaking about the situation, one of the doctors from the Emergency Ward expressed concern over the shortage of staff. He said that Healthcare professionals are under immense pressure, being forced to work extra hours and cater to both emergency and outpatient department (OPD) patients. Given the urgency and complexity of cases in the Emergency Ward, providing immediate care to each patient has become a significant challenge.
The doctor shared that the majority of the patients who visit the emergency ward are those suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) which is a variety of conditions causing breathing problems. The number of cases has been on the rise since the beginning of the year, putting immense pressure on the already short-staffed facility.
Another staff member highlighted the direct impact of nurses and doctors leaving the ward. The strain is felt by the remaining staff, making their work increasingly difficult. Moreover, the absence of a severity record for patient care further complicates the situation, making it harder to prioritize cases effectively.
A 32-year-old man attending to his wife in the hospital ward shared the inadequate availability of beds in the emergency ward. Stressing the importance of proper rest and a peaceful environment for healing, he expressed his disappointment as the beds were tightly packed inside the ward. Consequently, his wife had to be accommodated in the bed in the corridor, leading to inconvenience when people passed by.
The crowded emergency ward rooms have compelled hospital staff to utilize corridor beds as a temporary solution. While this may temporarily address the issue of bed shortage and limited space in the emergency ward, it comes at the expense of patients’ comfort and privacy. The attendant expressed concern over the constant flow of people in the corridors, which can disturb patients and hinder their ability to rest peacefully.
Another attendant expressed her dissatisfaction with the lack of staff members in the triage reception area. The incident happened when her husband, displayed severe symptoms and she was left waiting for more than 7 minutes before receiving the necessary medical attention.
The attendant highlighted the potential consequences of such a delay, emphasizing that had the situation been more critical, it could have resulted in a significant failure on the part of the hospital.
A 30-year-old mother of a 6-year-old son who came to the emergency for her son shared that, there were many patients with attendants in queue. She said that doctors in the emergency ward conducted comprehensive checkups, ensuring that each patient received thorough and attentive care.
“Despite the long queue, the medical professionals were empathetic, taking the time to listen to my concerns and symptoms of my son.”
She said. She shared that the entire medical checkups and necessary medicines were given accordingly.
One of the health staff in the Emergency ward said, “Despite the best efforts and the dedicated healthcare services, the shortage of staff has placed us under a lot of pressure affecting our ability to provide immediate and comprehensive care.”
The rising patient numbers combined with the shortage of health staff in the emergency ward at JDWNRH have raised concerns about the quality and timeliness of care provided to individuals seeking urgent medical attention.
Lack of enough health staff can at times result in the severe medical condition of the patient as limited doctors cannot take care of multiple patients, especially in an emergency ward where most of the patients who visit are the ones with severe medical conditions.
