by DiDi LeMay
I had an unfortunate experience which sent me to the emergency ward of a Toronto hospital. I was admitted for observation, and I have to admit that for the first few days I wasn’t the most gracious patient. Being sick made me very grumpy.
Being in the hospital gave me a glimpse of what goes on there. I never gave it a lot of thought, as I never needed to be in the healthcare system. Of course, I had heard all the complaints, but took them with a grain of salt.
As I sat waiting in the emergency ward, I had the chance to look into some of the ins and outs of what happens there. It looked like a busy beehive. Everyone had their place and their jobs to do. Everything just seemed to work smoothly.
Getting admitted to see a doctor didn’t take too long, but once in the ward, it could take a while to see a nurse or doctor again. From where I was, I could observe the nurses’ station and can testify that they are always busy. Not one moment of rest. I asked one of the nurses about their hours and she told me that she always works 12 hour shifts.
The nurse or doctor would work on me and walk out again, calling back, “I’ll be back in about 10 minutes.” I jokingly said to my husband that I had learned very fast that it meant 10 minutes times 10. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, though: there was just too much work, and not enough time.
I have to say I was treated well during my stay.. Even though I knew that the nurses were busy, they always had time for me, and I never felt rushed. The nurses always had a friendly word and a bright smile. Even though I’m sure they were, at times, tired and ready to throw in the towel, there was always a pleasant atmosphere.
Yes, I realize that there are those who are critical of our health system and there is a lot to be improved. However, having been part of it for about five days, I can see that the front-line nurses, doctors, student nurses, and interns are giving their all to help the sick get better
I met a lot of health care professionals who are dedicated to their careers. I wish them all good luck for their futures in the health care system.
Comments
Sorry to hear you had to visit the hospital, Didi. We recently had to spend time at TGH and I must say our experience was much the same. The attention to care and attitude were very impressive on every level. In fact, I wrote the hospital about a security guard who in a most professional way walked me out to the parking garage at midnight, waited while I paid and then escorted me directly to my car. I so appreciated that! The hospital actually responded saying how pleased they are to receive positive feedback. Folks are only too quick to criticize but sharing our good experiences is most appreciated.
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