A RECENT ACCIDENT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 90, 17 July 1945, Page 5

A RECENT ACCIDENT

ADMISSION TO HOSPITAL

-"'TSfKLANATION OF METHODS

Following up a recent admission "to liospital on a Saturday a'tcrnoon -when a youth suffered an axe wound to his and at Mr H. G. Mo ~Cready 7 <. instigation Dr. E. T. Dawson gave a detailed explanation of the incident at last week's meeting •of the Whakatane Hospital Board. A subsequent motion covering future -admissions of accident cases to the hospital was defeated b.y live votes; toi three. Dr. Dawson said that the accident case was admitted by the Sister in charge during his absence at and was not what could be described -as a serious case. In such instances the Sisters 5n charge were quite capable of looking after the •and although he was on call it had not been necessary to disturb him. Since the engaging of Dr. Whittle the arrangement had been for each •of them to have alternate weekends off whilst one remained on duty. Dr. Dawson said he usually enjoyed golf on a Saturday but had left standing instructions to be called at once by the Sister in charge in the event of anything seirious occurring. It was only a question of a •comparatively few minutes and lie could lie at the hospital to attend 3n the event ol' an emergency. As Medical he said lie was practically on call 168 hours a week, for he could be called at all hours of the night and frequently •on his time off and holidays. He considered the arrangement a satisfactory one and fiilly in keeping with the qualifications of the staff. Mr Mullins said he felt that now the Board, had two one should be there all the time—on call. It should not be the responsibility of the nursing staff to admit accident cases. He considered " t the •Board's duty to lay down something which would protect the Board in 'the event of complications arising suid in his opinion iyo accident cases should be admitted without first being referred to the medical intendent. It was not necessary to disturb the, present arrangement but the doctor-' on duty should at least 3mow what type of accident cases were being admitted. He moved that in all accident cases the doctor on tduty be consulted immediately they were admitted. Mr McCready in said -that the service should be there all the time now that the Board had engaged a second man. He quoted the position in Rotorua. Mr Caulfield supported the motion which he said was only designed to .do the right thing. Mr Suckling said that under the present with the doctor on. call there was the 24 hour service. What was wrong with, it? The chairman (Mr L. Buddie) said that every employee was entitled to some form of recreation. If the doctor was still prepared to.accept the responsibility of the hospital and to be on call at all hours, he could hardly be expected to sit in his office waiting for accident cases. He must have some liberty of action. He could not understand the point in bringing up the as there had been no disastrous consequences and everything had gone normally. As long as there was one of the two doctors available on call he could not see much objection to the position. Mr Mullins: The onus should not be on the staff to diagnose an urgent cases ! Mr McCready mentioned the possibility of bad accidents at football. Mr McGougan said he would not | favour the Medical Superintendent's hands being tied in any way. He was a man who felt his responsibility and could always be depended, on to do_ his duty without any hard and fast rules. He was supported ny Mr ..Suckling who added that he thought the Board could depend on the staff's .ability to diagnose a case and to notify the doctor if need be. It was going too far, and quite uncalled for to lay |down a definite law. Before putting the motion the. chairman said he had every faith in the staff and could not imagine for ( one moment a Sister in charge of a ward taking over a case where there were any doubts without contacting the doctor first. The motion was defeated by five votes to three.