Staff shortage hits neonatal medical care

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 27

Shortage of staff has hit neonatal services at Women’s and Children Hospital in Bathinda.

The hospital doesn’t have enough trained nurses to take care of needy women and premature born and sick babies.

The hospital has a Special Care Unit for the Newly Born (SNCU). Trained and highly skilled nursing care is of great importance but it is the untrained nursing students who are making for the staff shortage.

At the Women’s and Children Hospital, Bathinda, every month, on an average, 500-550 deliveries are done by three gynecologists, adopting either of the two main methods — normal deliveries (called vaginal birth) or cesarean section (called surgical birth).

Besides, every day, there are about 600-700 outdoor patients at the hospital.

The hospital has 17 nursing staff against 32 sanctioned posts. Even among these 17 nurses, on an average, three-four are on leave every day.

Even the strength of class IV employees at the hospital is about 33 per cent of their total sanctioned posts.

At this level-2 care centre and referral hospital for children, the doctors are forced to refer many sick children to the Faridkot medical college as the nursing care is not adequate here.

Against the sanctioned posts of 10 nursing staff for the SNCU, there are only four, who work in three shifts daily. There is no resident doctor at the SNCU.

Dr Satish Goel, senior medical officer at the hospital admits the acute shortage of the nursing staff.

“Doctors are making maximum efforts to provide medical care to all patients with the available infrastructure and staff strength,” he said.

The condition of this special unit for the newly born could be gauged from the fact that there is no security guard at the SNCU.

In such a situation, it is difficult for the doctors and nursing staff to prevail upon the attendants of these children not to enter the intensive care unit as there is a risk of septicemia, a serious bloodstream infection.

Not only the SNCU but in the women’s and children ward, the shortage of nursing staff has hit medical care.

Earlier, the maternity and pediatrics wards were working separately but now, for about last six months, both wards have been clubbed.

On an average, when there are 65-70 women indoor patients and 10-15 children affected with different ailments in this ward, there is only one staff nurse to take care of them all in one shift.

As there are only three gynecologists to take care of high number of patients, many times the hospital relies on the services of MBBS doctors.