Edmonton - Learning from the recent admission by our health advisories of the terrifyingly blundering state of nursing procedures in the town of High Prairie, Alberta, it might leave one wondering if our health practitioners even care about our health anymore. Could our system be so overburdened that such an obviously simple precaution as not sharing needles is being overlooked to save time?
"While I cannot comment on the specific details of the situation in HighPrairie, in general all registered nurses are expected to follow the Nursing Practice Standards which includes following relevant legislation, standards and policies such as the provincial infection control standards," said Margaret Hadley, the president of The College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta.
What a relief that we have standards and policies to go with our common sense. Of course many health professionals decidedly care about your health, but imagine what would you be thinking if the recent bad news was regarding your own health?
“Surprise!”, says the health official. “I know that your previous treatments here seemed to be going well for you, but it is my regrettable duty to inform you that since our institution's realization that you may have come into contact with equipment that was in fact not sterile at some point during your treatment here, that it is now in your best interests, to get checked for, ummm, HIV and Hepatitis. The old HEP, HIV duo, O.K.?”
It would not be surprising in the least if mobile paper shredding trucks are hard at work this very moment, turning the last five years of patient specific records, carbon prints, little plastic bracelets and what not, into little diagonal strips - as this article is being written; desperately purging whatever potentially damnable evidence they can muster; employing the likes of shred-tech equipped vehicles to come out and do their dirty work.
My heart goes out to anyone directly, and indirectly (as we all share that designation), or anyone with a family member affected by this astoundingly terrifying revelation about our state of so called 'health practice'.
B.R. Mathews
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