TTRNA’S RESPONSE TO THE HEALTH MINISTER’S POLICY CHANGES THAT WILL COMPROMISE CARE, CLIENT CONFIDENTIALY/PRIVACY AND SAFETY
1. All policy changes expressed by the Minister of Health in the public without consultation with the nursing profession have serious implications for management of patient care, client confidentiality/privacy and patient safety.
2. The decision to change visiting hours to allow 7am visiting will affect the nursing procedures carried out at that time in preparing patients for medical reviews (Doctors rounds) or preparation for operating procedures.
3. The decision to allow the public free access to clinical areas and the autonomy to use cell phones to capture real time activities is in Breach of the Patient’s Charter of Rights and Obligations of the Ministry of Health and charters and professional codes in health systems globally.
4. Nurses and Physicians are legally accountable for maintaining confidentiality and privacy of the patients under their care. If these policies are implemented, these professions will no longer be able to ensure these standards are upheld/ maintained.
5. Rooming in of patients relatives requires hospital facilities of a different design. There are NO infrastructure provisions at present in our public hospitals to implement this policy. This will require demolishing the interior of hospitals and rebuilding a different design.
6. The influx of many more persons in the patient care environment breaches the Infection Control Policies and Guidelines of the Ministry. Patients systems are compromised when they are ill and Nursing Staff have a “Duty of Care” to ensure patient safety.
7. If something goes wrong with a patient caused by an “invited care giver” who assumes liability?
8. Do we want the spread of many more “BUGS’ and an outbreak of drug resistant infection? TTRNA and the Nurses of Trinidad &Tobago say No.
9. The Minister’s statement that patients have no protection while nurses have is not quite accurate, The Patients’ Charter outlines all the patients’ rights and supports the rights already enshrined in the Constitution. The Nurses Code of Professional Conduct and the HR regulations at the RHAs make nurses accountable for their actions.
10. TTRNA IS CALLING ON The Honourable Minister to rescind these proposed policy changes and dialogue with us to find solutions that will improve our standards of care while maintaining client safety and confidentiality. We are always open to dialogue.
