Patient

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After recently spending two weeks in Vernon Jubilee Hospital with a broken hip, I have difficulty understanding why the decision was made to move the maternity ward into the new tower instead of the surgical ward.

Maternity patients usually go home within one day or two following delivery while surgical patients often need to stay in hospital for a longer recovery, often weeks or months.

Another reason I'm questioning this decision is the lack of space in the old section which is very crowded and the bathrooms are very small.

While pulling my IV-pole and using a walker, I was fearful of falling in the cramped bathroom and wondering how anyone could get in to help me if I fell against the door.

Also, a couple of other patients in my four-bed room had been in the hospital much longer then me, one for over two months.

How sad to have to spend all of that time in such a cramped area with very small, not easily accessible bathrooms, while the new tower would be so much more spacious and cheerful for patients with lengthy recovery from surgery.

In addition to that, I also went into code blue while I was in the old section and had to be rushed to ICU in the new tower. It would make more sense for surgical and heart patients to be closer to ICU.

The nurses and staff are doing a wonderful job under very difficult conditions in the old surgical ward.

I'm sure many would agree with me that the doctors, nurses and staff would find their work much easier if they weren't in such a cramped working space.

We are in much need to have the two unfinished floors completed and put into use as quickly as possible.

Also, let's hope the decision makers will make better decisions as to how the additional space should be utilized.

Allow better and more spacious areas for the doctors, nurses and staff to work in so we the patients all benefit.

Pat Yaremchuk, Vernon