The Tribune

By FELICITY DARVILLE

OVER the weekend, a petition came to my phone entitled, “The Inhumane Treatment of Mothers at PMH Maternity Ward“. The petition was launched on Change.org by Celeste Sweeting. She addresses her petition to the Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville.

“We refuse to have any more of our precious moments turned into nightmares,” she contends.

“We refuse to be spoken to by staff as if we are not human. Bedside manners have been thrown out the window. We say no more! They must return at once. For far too long, women have endured the inhumane conditions at PMH. We have been silent, waiting for a change to come, but the time has come and we say, no more!”

Celeste complains about mothers having to bathe in unclean bathrooms without hot water after giving birth, among other things.

“As mothers, we refuse to hear the excuses as to why we are not allowed support during such an intense, yet momentous occasion,” she adds. “Mothers will no longer be in fear of giving birth. Horror stories will be a thing of the past! Nurses, midwives and doctors will be held accountable for their actions. Enough is enough!”

I just gave birth to a beautiful baby boy six weeks ago at Princess Margaret Hospital. This time, things were totally different than ever before because of the COVID-19 pandemic. No matter who you are or what you are admitted to PMH for, you will have to accept the fact that you will have no visitors, and you have to go at it alone. This is a measure implemented to protect the patients and the staff from coronavirus strains that are literally killing hundreds of Bahamians.

Now, PMH Maternity ward does have a reputation, and horror stories have come out of there. But it’s not everyone’s story. Some mothers have fairly good experiences. Statistically, most women give birth to healthy babies there daily. However, most can agree that the journey would be a whole lot better if the hospital infrastructure was better, if more of the staff would operate with compassion, and if some of the antiquated protocols were updated. Slowly, changes are being made, but it may be too slow for people like Celeste and her petitioners, who are demanding that the Ministry of Health make changes now.

I am a mother of six – Elijah, Malia, Jesse, Emmanuel, Victory and Victorious. Elijah just turned 25 years old. Victorious is a newborn. So, I have experienced giving birth at PMH over a span of more than two decades. Three of these were natural births, and three were C-section deliveries. Natural births occur at PMH Maternity Ward. But when you have a scheduled C-section, you check in at PMH Postnatal Ward, and the experience is different.

When I had my natural births, one of the things I was able to do, was ask the midwife to give me the baby to put directly on the breast, moments after the delivery. Back then, I did this based on my own initiative. I am happy to hear that today, such a practice is commonplace, as long as the conditions are right, and mother and baby’s health are not at risk. I believe this is, in part, to the efforts of the Bahamas National Breastfeeding Association (BNBA). This group, led by registered nurses and midwives, helped to lobby for PMH labour wards to be a “no bottle zone”. You will not be able to give a newborn a bottle there. If you are convinced that you must give your baby some formula, you must cup feed. In addition, the mother is at least taught how to breastfeed and get the baby to latch on to the breast. As October is Breastfeeding Awareness month, I must give kudos to the BNBA for their tireless work to help make the Bahamas a breastfeeding-friendly nation.

For me, my experiences at PMH were generally pleasant. There were a few rough spots, and I agree that changes are necessary, but I was fortunate to have had some good moments. That may be, in part, to strong prayers and positive thinking before I ever set foot in the door. A part of it also has to do with the staff that actually do care, and make an effort to take care of you well and help you to have a good experience. Retired Sister (head nurse) of the Maternity Ward, Ampusam Symonette, was one of a kind. I witnessed her take the time to visit every mother under her care. I am sure that she played a part in the progression of thinking and practices regarding the delivery of babies at PMH.

In September, I walked into the door known as the “Maternity entrance” of PMH. I checked in to the Post Natal Ward in order to be admitted, with the intention of having a baby the following day. The day before, I was relieved to have secured at least three blood donors. Without them, I would have been unable to have the surgery. I shared my birthing experience when I had my daughter Victory in 2019. Things were very different this time around, having given birth in the midst of a pandemic.

It took two hours for the nurses to have a bed prepared for me. I didn’t mind waiting, however. I understood that they were short staffed. So much of the resources have to go to the scores of people battling COVID-19. While waiting on the bench outside the ward, I met one of the ladies who attended Anne’s Town Antenatal Clinic with me. She wasn’t feeling well at all. She wasn’t due to deliver for another three weeks. But, her pressure was high, and she was very weak. When the intake nurses came to evaluate her, her temperature was extremely high. She ended up being put into isolation. I later found out that she tested positive for COVID-19. She delivered the baby by C-section and she and the baby were said to be fine. I was very happy to hear that she survived that ordeal.

Before I went to have the baby, people were giving me looks of horror and making all sorts of comments about me going to PMH, where the “Covid patients are.” But I made a decision to block it out and think positive, while being cautious. I thought about it… women were going in there every day and coming out with a healthy baby, and I would do the same.

One of the difficult things was having to keep on a mask 24/7 for four days. The only time I removed my mask was to eat or drink. That was difficult and I prayed my way right out of there. Another issue was the bathroom. It was unfathomable to me that from the time I had Victory to now, the plumber still has to be called nearly every day to clear the toilets. The beds are decades old. Plumbing is an issue just as much as flooding. I saw a video circulating a couple of weeks ago, where the janitress on the ward had the nearly impossible task of mopping up loads of water that came in after a heavy squall of rain. I remembered her from my recent stay. I could imagine how difficult it must have been for her to clean up, and for the mothers who need to go to the restroom, and avoid “catching draft” as people call it, from the cold floor. In this way, I totally agree with Celeste as it pertains to the desperate need for improved infrastructure… and that really goes across the board at the hospital. Even the staff have to find a way to fulfill their duties with limited resources and poor working conditions.

It is important for me to note that despite these challenges, PMH staff should always remember the oaths of their office and do their best to serve patients with the best of care. Remember that patients are already in a vulnerable position and deserve dignity and respect. They deserve patience and compassion. It would bode the staff well to remember that people’s lives are in their hands.

For me, I had mostly wonderful experiences with the staff members who assisted me as I delivered Victorious to this realm. However, to the nurse who put my catheter in… you handled me roughly. As I took a few deep breaths to allow you to do your job, you told me that my “breathing was distracting you.” To the doctor initially responsible for my epidural… I think we would have both had a better experience if you had introduced yourself to me at the start and prepared me for the process. When I had Victory, the doctor who did this gave me the confidence I needed to follow the instructions well and make his job easy. I believe you to be a good doctor, but our frustrations in the operating theatre could have been avoided with better communication.

There were many bright spots on the journey and some professionals who did their job so well I have to mention them:

Nurse Humes, Post Natal Ward: your work is more than a job; it’s a calling. You accompanied me to the operating theatre, and you took care of the baby moments after his birth. Your pleasant, cheery nature helped to quell fears before the surgery. You squeezed my hand when I needed encouragement, and you answered all my questions. When it was time for me to go home, you were there to see me off. You were the last face I saw when I left and your smile wraps up exactly how I feel about my overall experience having given birth six times at PMH – a happy one – as I came out healthy with six healthy children.

Intern Dr Ethan Brown: never lose that sweet, caring nature. It will make you an exceptional doctor all your days. You took the time to really know me as a patient. You did not rush any part of our interview. You did your examinations with care. You put my heplock in expertly – a skill I did not appreciate until two days later when an incident occurred and it had to be reinstated. It took more than five attempts to get it in my vein, which was said to be very small. You came to check up on me after the surgery. Your simple gesture, a hand on my shoulder and a word of encouragement, made all the difference.

Dr Simone Sealy: you are an outstanding physician. Your bedside manner is superb. You have a gentle smile and a calm nature that could put the most anxious patient at ease. Your soft spoken nature and ease in explaining medical processes can put the mind at ease. For some patients, their lack of understanding about what is happening to them can affect the success of their procedure. Your ability to relay this information effectively is vital. Knowing that you are a veteran in the field, you give hope that young doctors like Ethan do not have to be soiled by the challenges of the job. Interns would do well to model themselves after you –- one with a high work ethic and a steady course. You asked me how I was doing during that surgery. You were gentle, yet precise. I could not have been in better hands.

Although I do not remember all who took care of me, I want to say thank you to Dr Evans, another intern on the ward. She takes pride in her work. Dr Walkine did well in assisting Dr Sealy during my surgery. Dr Kumar and Dr Hanna, as well as Nurse Moss in the operating theatre… I thank you. Nurse Curry was understandably upset because of the lack of support in the theatre. Only he and Nurse Meede were on duty to intake a number of patients. I was cared for by Nurse Meede during my recovery, and she did a great job taking care of me. Due to the shortage of staff, I spent four hours in recovery, until a porter was available to come and get me. I simply slept it off, and didn’t worry or get upset about the hiccups that would naturally occur in a hospital being stretched to its limits.

All in all, I came home with a healthy, beautiful, bouncing baby boy… and that is all I could ask for.