Rotational worker concerned over ER safety
SYDNEY — A Cape Breton man says he's concerned about how safe people needing medical treatment are at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital emergency room.
“I feel with the rising number of COVID cases there needs to be more precautionary measures put in place there,” said Stephen MacKinnon of Sydney.
However, Carla Adams, a spokesperson with Nova Scotia Health, said a hospital is a safe place to be. They encourage anyone needing medical treatment to go to the emergency room.
“Our infection prevention and control teams have procedures in place to ensure our emergency departments are cleaned regularly and our teams are highly trained in effective use of personal protective equipment,” she said. “In addition, staff adhere to COVID-19 specific processes and policies in place to guide safe patient care.”
McKinnon, 32, a labourer, travels across Canada. He arrived home from Saskatchewan on May 2, following two layover flights, to begin his 14-day quarantine. He said rotational workers have to do three COVID-19 tests, including on their first or secondday home.
Within two days, he had his first test but hadn't received his test results back when he began having severe issues with his hip and could barely walk.
“I never slept all night as every time I moved it was so painful,” he said.
On May 4, he called 811 and although he relayed being only two days into his quarantine, he was advised to go to the emergency room. MacKinnon said he expressed concerns about infecting others but was told precautions are taken.
At the regional hospital, he also told the triage nurse he had just travelled across the country and hadn't gotten a positive test result back yet.
“The only thing they asked is if I had been in a hotspot," he said. “I did travel through cities that were shut down and stopped for layovers.”
MacKinnon expressed concern about not being isolated from others in the emergency room but said he was told there are positive cases there all the time, to wash his hands and stay seated.
There were about 15 people in the emergency room and always people coming and going.
He was there six hours before leaving without seeing a doctor. MacKinnon said he was uncomfortable knowing he could have been a COVID19 positive case exposing others. Having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, he was also worried about contracting the virus. He said he's speaking out to warn people while urging Nova Scotia Health to isolate people who have travelled and need medical treatment.
“I didn't have any symptoms, but I could have been an asymptomatic carrier,” he said. “They need to take more precautions.”
HEROES IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM
Aimee Louise Currie of Sydney, who was also recently at the emergency room escorting her mother who has disabilities, posted a thank you to staff of the regional hospital on social media.
“I'd like to thank the nurses and doctor at the regional's emergency department for the care they gave my mom,” she posted. “We were worried being there for a short time and yet these nurses and doctors are there all day, every day. They are heroes in every way, every day.”
Currie told the Post it began when her mother was experiencing severe abdominal pain and where she doesn't have a doctor right now, called 811.
She was told to take her mother to the emergency room but admits to being extremely nervous, as her mother has only had one vaccine so far and she's waiting for her own.
“Everyone in the emergency room is sick and I kept thinking that anyone in there could easily have COVID-19,” she said.
She said 811 told her anyone with symptoms is sent for a test, not to the ER.
“She said because it's a hospital every precaution is taken.”
At the hospital, they were screened for COVID-19 symptoms. The triage nurse put them at ease explaining anyone with symptoms is directed to a different area.
There are barriers between the seats, they were told to remain seated and noticed as anyone got up, hospital staff was sanitizing the seat.
They only waited an hour and a half and a nurse checked on her mother in the meantime.
Currie said she realizes a COVID-19 case could walk in the emergency room but said that's true anywhere as people can be asymptomatic.
“Whenever shopping for essentials I never see anyone wiping down counters and I've been in some convenience stores where cashiers aren't wearing masks,” she said. “They are doing an amazing job caring for people who need medical care in these scary times.”
NOVA SCOTIA HEALTH
Megan Tonet, director of stakeholder relations and public affairs for Nova Scotia Health, eastern zone, said like all Nova Scotia Health facilities, every patient and/ or visitor who arrives at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital — including those in the emergency department — must complete the COVID19 screening process and are provided with a medical mask.
Patients and visitors are screened for symptoms, their household's travel history, if they have been in close contact with someone known to have COVID-19, if they have been tested in the past 14 days, been to an exposure site and have been instructed to self-isolate and get tested, or have tested positive for COVID-19. The answers to these questions determine whether someone has screened positive or negative to be tested for the virus.
After a patient completes the screening process, they are given a medical mask and the results from their COVID-19 screening are shared with the triage nurse and/or physician. The triage nurse assesses the patient and triages them by urgency while following COVID-19 protocols and processes in place.
If someone had answered the questions in a way where they should be tested for the virus but need ER care, they are brought to a specific area within the department to be assessed safely. If someone has screened positive following triage, they are directed to a designated area of the waiting room, to await assessment by a physician.
If someone has screened negative following triage, they are directed to the general waiting room.
Seating in the emergency room waiting area is separated by barriers to create a single seating arrangement with some double seats for patients who require a support person. Tonet said their infection prevention and control and environmental services teams have procedures in place to ensure regular cleaning.
“We understand that this can be a challenging and stressful time for people,” Tonet said. “Our COVID-19 response is always evolving to ensure we have the appropriate measures in place to keep our staff, physicians and patients safe during this pandemic.”