It's Healthcare Jim, but not as we know it.

You couldn't make this up.....

The CBDHA has spent money attending job fairs in places like Alberta in an attempt to recruit RNs to fill the many vacancies here in Cape Breton. The Health Authority cannot find enough RNs to man its own Emergency Departments on a regular basis, hence the recent rolling closures of Emergency Departments in North Sydney, Glace Bay and New Waterford.

Heard from a Registered Nurse in BC, an RN with extensive experience in ER and ICU. She fancied a change of scene and applied to the CBDHA for one of the many vacancies at either Northside or the Regional. After hearing nothing for a while she called Human Resources to see how her application was faring. She was told that the CBDHA would not be employing her as she was "Too well qualified for them."

I wonder what the CBDHA thinks of its own Registered Nurses?

More bollocks.....

The Fat Controller bangs on about how success in the four year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree course is a requirement for CBDHA Managers.

Last year the newly promoted Manager Carol Chiasson came to Northside to take charge of the 2nd and 4th floors and cover for the other Manager (Emergency Department). Well, she says she does.

She is a Diploma Nurse, nothing wrong with that of course, however a two year Diploma Course with a few years experience at the Regional doesn't seem to equate to a BSN. I wonder what that's all about.

Got RNs?

Another sparkler from the CRNNS package of jokes:

Back in 2006, Anne received an injury trying to move an unconscious 400lb patient who was running short on oxygen. She was told by the Supervisor that she should have used a mechanical lift. The Gruppenfuehrer has seen fit to pass this gem on to the CRNNS as an example of Anne's inability to make use of the allegedly available equipment. Any RN knows that you DO NOT lift unconscious patients with a mechanical lift; the patient's airway may become blocked due to the unsupported head.

So, what were these two Managerial dullards of the CBDHA and RNs to boot, thinking of? Not the patient of course, perhaps their next hairdo, or maybe making the cut for the next expenses paid beano to Toronto?

Tell you what, I'd pay money to see these two trying to get the sling under an unconscious 400lb patient.

Shit winds to blow?

I've been delving into more of the contents of the CRNNS package, particularly some sheets authored by the Gruppenfuehrer that runs Northside General, together with the whines of The Fat Controller. Their descriptions of how unspeakably naughty I have been in what I have written on my blog has provoked some real belly laughs from yours truly. It is rather like being given a scolding for slouching by a pair of hunchbacks.   

These people really ought to get out and speak with their customers, go to Tim Hortons, Subway, the pubs, the Library, stand in the supermarket check out lines. Talk to people and find out what they think of Northside General. Then hang your heads in shame. A Sydney lawyer said to me; "Don't tell me, don't tell me; I know that the CBDHA is dysfunctional." 

From what I can gather Ottawa has given the CBDHA two years to sort themselves out. But the present round of Emergency Room rolling closures may become more permanent; the Management attitude towards its workers is such that the chronic problem of staff is shortages is unlikely to be solved. As Mr. Leahy might say, "The shit winds are starting to blow, Ricky." 

Update.

Yesterday the mail-lady delivered a strange package to Anne from the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia (CRNNS). Seems that the CBDHA Management have set out to prove that it is a genuine basket case, for amongst other things there was a statement from Evelyn Schaller (Vice President of Patient Services)(sic) that Anne could print a retraction, apologise for what I have written on my old blog and ask me to remove the blog with the "inaccurate and untrue" information. (my inverted commas) She completes her statement with the observation that she does not think it fair or professional to malign management and/or colleagues in such a manner.

I should point out that not once had Schaller written to me and query anything that I have written. Not once has she or anyone else from the CBDHA made any comment on the blog itself, which they are free to do.

Who does this harpie think she is? I should remind her that thousands of brave men and women sailed from the shores of North Sydney itself during two World Wars to defend us against the kind of tyranny that she wishes to impose on my wife. How can Anne retract something that she had nothing to do with and did not write?

No, all this weeble can do is complain to the CRNNS. And she describes me as "hateful" for referring to her as "Obergruppenfuehrer." She is joking, right? Okay she doesn't like that. How about "The Fat Controller", mind you he did run the railways of Sodor with some efficiency so perhaps the title is not apt. 

On October 24th 2006 there was a bit of an incident in the Emergency Room at Northside when a fellow with heart trouble turned up at the "closed" ER and asked for assistance. Northside General is run by a Director of Nursing and two Managers. Neither the Director of Nursing nor the ER Manager was available as they had business elsewhere. That left one Manager who was just commencing duty for the day, she did not know where her two comrades were; presumably they had not told her or anyone else that they would not be in that morning, but in any case it was held that she was not the Manager of the ER, despite the fact that she has made a written statement to say that, "I cover for the other Manager when she is away from her unit." The night time Supervisor of the ER was off home so there was effectively no Manager for the ER.

But wait, silly me, I am wrong; she was not "away from her unit"; perhaps she was physically not there, but she was in fact running the ER. - by telephone if you please, from God knows where. So that's alright then. Mind you, she has to answer the phone first.

Clearly this is a concept that the CBDHA can run with. How about the Managers not coming in at all? Just remain in bed and run the whole show from the comfort of your own home.

I tell you, nothing surprises me with these fuckwits.

Redux

I live in North Sydney (Northside), a small seaport town on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia which is blessed by gorgeous scenery and friendly  people. However the area is cursed with the dysfunctional  Northside General Hospital which is run by the equally dysfunctional Cape Breton District Health Authority (CBDHA). My wife Anne is a Registered Nurse who was employed at Northside General from 2005 until January 2007.

I previously authored a blog that was critical of the CBDHA. The blog ended due to circumstances beyond my control, however one of the Directors of Nursing, Heather Duff has complained to the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia that my blog was untrue so I am resurrecting my old blog thread "It's Healthcare Jim, but not as we know it" and devoting this blog to the CBDHA.

This blog is not here just to make fun of the Health Authority's Management; but it is an effort to illustrate why the CBDHA does not serve patients well and is exceedingly poor value for the tax dollars that serve to keep it afloat.

To be continued once I enter the old posts.....