Just a simple case of mismanagement

13.FEB.09

EDITOR: Following the broadcast of the statements made by Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, a number of workers at the hospital, particularly nursing personnel in contact with the public, are being chided as thieves.{{more}}

While there is the problem of unavailability of supplies, and evidence of pilfering at the hospital, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Nurses Association considers the effects of the Prime Minister’s statement humiliating to the hard working and ever faithful members of the noble occupation of Nursing. It should be considered that our nursing practice is guided by professional principles of ethics and the godly principles of service orientation (service to humanity), which is far removed from such atrocity as stealing supplies, and diminishes its delivery to our care recipients.

Furthermore, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Nurses Association believes that a measured investigation at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital will, perhaps, reveal a case of mismanagement, misplacement, misuse, poor record keeping and selective guarding of stores, as the principal mitigating factors concerning missing supplies. It is hoped that an approach to correct these dominant factors, along with the isolated cases of pilfering, is instituted at an investigative level.

The implementation of better systems of security, record keeping and storage will by far improve the accountability of supplies at the Hospital. Surely, the art of finger pointing and labeling poses a rather destructive connotation towards the integrity of the professional groups employed at the hospital. In practice, problem solving is not achieved through blaming, but through the execution of a process of correctional analysis.

Finally, in reiteration, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Nurses Association considers the situation as a delicate one, where the constructive versus the destructive implications should have been explored in a more tactful manner.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Nurses Association