Olive Crane, who is the Handrahans’ local MLA, said Bertram should have never approved the opening of the new emergency department until the new staff were hired.
“There’s something radically wrong at the QEH,” said Crane, who added she’s received 10 calls in the past week with concerns about problems at the hospital’s emergency room and wait times of up to 14 hours.
“The QEH emergency department is crying out for help. Where is the health minister? Where is the premier? Fourteen- to 18-hour wait times in emergency at your primary hospital, that’s just not acceptable.”
Mona O’Shea knows the ins and outs of the hospital’s emergency room. She’s worked in the emergency room.
O’Shea is now president of the P.E.I. Nurses Union.
She says her nurses are working up to 20 hours overtime during a two-week period on a regular basis and nurses are starting to feel the pressure.
The additional staff, she said, should have been hired months ago.
“Their heart aches for the people who sit out there for 12 to 14 hours,” said O’Shea, of the nurses who work in the emergency room.
“Nurses do have compassion but in situations like this where they’re being overworked, they are being asked to do overtime and you can see burnout happening at a faster rate.”
The Handrahans say they’ve lost all faith in the Charlottetown hospital and will go to Summerside if they need medical treatment in the future.
Henderson said she’s heard that in the past from other patients, but she stressed that, in general, the hospital does provide good care.
“Patients themselves might not always agree with that, based on their personal experience,” said Henderson.
“But I hate to hear that patients have lost confidence in us because we do provide good quality care.”
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This happened to me as well 10 years ago. I knew that I was having a miscarriage and proceeded to a packed waiting room at the QEH. Was triaged quickely and told to wait in the waiting room. Well I waited and waited and waited quietly morning the impending loss of my baby among many strangers. I kept asking the nurses when could I see the doctor they told me as soon as they had a room, that there were 2 other ladies who were also having miscarriages, that were occupying the rooms. After 7 or 8 hours I am not quite sure exactly how long, but I did get finally get to see the doctor, only to be rushed into a room examined, the doctor stated that yes, I had had a miscarriage, this type of thing happens to 1 in 4 pregnancies and told to go home. Don't be fooled people this is not something new, it has been happening for quite some time, it just took this brave couple to bring it to light.