Rave review for local ER

At this time of year, teachers, parents and students are thinking about report cards, evaluations and exams.

I’m a teacher but two weeks ago I suddenly became ill and had to visit the Emergency Room (ER) at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital.

For various reasons, there are unavoidable wait times. We all know this is part of the norm. This letter is to acknowledge the positive things that happened beyond the waiting area in our local ER and to say “thank you.”

From the time I saw the ER doctor, Dr. Holmes, early Sunday morning until Tuesday afternoon I was in capable hands. The ER nurses, the lab technologists, the radiology department, Dr. Holmes and the neurologist, Dr. Shimon., were professional, decisive and very thorough in every aspect of my care.

My health symptoms were assessed and discussed, tests were ordered and performed with haste, and results were swiftly used to make the next decisions and diagnosis.

Some of these tests were unpleasant ( lumbar punctures) but I remained confident in the team because I had every question and concern answered and each detail was explained before, during and after this procedure by Dr. Holmes.

Too often our hospitals and health care professional are criticized or judged. The next time you consider a harsh word or complaint about our ER, remember that these dedicated people work extremely hard, often under demanding situations with excessive numbers of sick people.

In my book, they have earned an A-plus. Thank these people for the work they do. I just did.

Rosanne Gillis-Roy

Howie Center