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Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 11, 2016 (SKNIS): Nursing in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis in now one of the professions that has to take matters relevant to crime and violence into consideration as was brought out by the Nurses Week Panel Discussion, held May 09, 2016.

 

The panel was chaired by journalist Toni Fredrick, and panelist Dr. Dwayne Archibald, who works in Accident and Emergency at the Joseph N. France General Hospital revealed that the doctors and nurses at the hospital are sometimes find themselves in the middle of a crime situation.  He referred to an incident in 2014 that involved a shooting incident on the hospital premises.

 

“I have to tip my hat to the doctor that was working while the person got shot, because she had to duck from the bullets and she still had to get up and take care of that patient,” Dr. Archibald said, noting that the nurses assisting the physician had to also dodge the bullets.  “Also the EMS (Emergency Medical Services) technicians, sometimes when the EMS get called on scene, they are the first to arrive.  For example, it might be a gunshot wound and they are the first to arrive there.  What if the gun battle is still going on?”

 

Dr. Archibald also noted that sometimes well-meaning or concerned individuals can add more pressure to an already stressful job situation.  He explained that when there is a violent crime, a crowd usually comes to the Joseph N. France hospital while the person is being cared for.

 

“Family members, persons that were around, inquisitive people are present, and sometimes we are so caught up  in taking care of the patient that we don’t have time to say OK, give us some space and they get between our legs,” Dr. Archibald said.  “Sometime depending on who’s in charge, the doctor or the nurse, we have to demand that they leave, or we can’t do our job. And then again there is the fear that the patient dies because if the patient dies the family member looks at it as our fault.”

 

Yet the doctors persist in carrying out their duties professionally and empathetically.

 

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