I would like to inform you of my experience at Cowichan District Hospital.
I have my Canadian Hospital Department Management Certificate obtained from The Canadian Medical Association. I am a certified dental assistant from UBC and an RCA from Capalino College. I share that so you can see that I would be in a somewhat unique position to observe and report to you.
My experience began on Good Friday, March 25. I was discharged Tuesday, April 5 just before noon. I will think of this as my Easter experience. It was completely unexpected.
On this Easter weekend 2016 I was absolutely exhausted. Diabetes right out of control. High blood pressure and I could feel most of my body’s systems starting to shut down.
I called a cab. I grabbed everything I had on paper, I did a one to 10 bleach solution behind myself as I went, so as not to leave my apartment contaminated for anyone going in my suite. I was really sucking for air at this point. I closed the apartment door and met the taxi. Signed to him emergency.
I walked into emergency. Nobody in waiting room. Triage RN right there. I pointed to my throat and handed her all my papers. She quickly found my DNR orders. An RN came to review them with me. Yes that was what I wanted. She went away and had that typed up and someone to the wards. In the meantime the triage RN had summoned what appeared to be whole staff. She handed each one an order to do something. Within seconds I was surrounded by a huge team that took over my care completely. I felt so safe. All I had to do was focus on getting some oxygen into my airway.
That carried on over the next three days round the clock. Take blood work and do tests, Adjust my medicine. Repeat circle. Each time a test came back they adjusted my care plan. I couldn’t believe how current they were. They were using the best and most current antibiotics in the world.
How could a little hospital like Duncan be behaving like they were they best doctors and RNs in the world? They even kept me in front of their desks, so they could watch me constantly. I was too sick to even go to ICU. I thank my specialist from Nanaimo, Dr. Elliot for her expertise, Dr. Pascoe and staff, other relief doctors Hoover, and Reimer and the whole team at CDH.
Sandy Bitner
Duncan