Claudia Calleja
Visitors help themselves to hospital supplies
Visitors insist on keeping their mobile phones on and turning up outside visiting hours. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier
A man visiting a relative in hospital walks straight into the ward's pantry and helps himself to coffee and biscuits before heading to the patient's room. Meanwhile, another visitor heads for a bathroom and walks away with a stool used by weak patients for in the shower.
Though less prevalent than at St Luke's, Malta's main hospital remains a magnet for looters, as certain visitors steal anything in sight, from toilet paper, light switches and soap dispensers to patients' belongings.
These are a few of the "little annoyances" faced by nurses at Mater Dei Hospital on a daily basis.
"They are not big annoyances but a string of many little ones. We need to educate people how to behave when they come to hospital and to first and foremost respect patients," staff nurse Julia Colerio said.
Armed with a two-page list in hand, she outlined the main problems nurses and doctors face with some hospital visitors.
Ms Coleiro admitted that, since the move to Mater Dei hospital two years ago, visitors' behaviour had improved - probably because people were prepared to have more respect for a new building.
"Since the move, people also stopped walking into hospital carrying a pot of soup as many did at St Luke's Hospital. I think it's because the food improved," Mr Coleiro said.
However, some old habits die hard, she added. People insist on keeping their mobile phones on, turning up outside visiting hours, overcrowding wards or failing to keep their voices down, causing inconvenience to other patients.
"I've even had cases of people peeping through a curtain I would have drawn to treat a patient," she said.
"And some are heard discussing the health of other patients after they would have overheard something during a ward round."
More commonly, visitors sit on patients' beds or, in some cases, use vacant beds to take a nap.
"People don't realise that when they sit on beds they run the risk of spreading germs. It's not hygienic," Ms Coleiro said.
"Some people just need to learn how to respect patients and remember they are in a hospital where people are sick and vulnerable... that's why we point these annoyances out," she said.
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Joe De La Licata
Dec 29th 2009, 15:26
Thank God that security at our Hospitals is not left in the hands of CERTAIN bloggers. First of all CCTVs can’t be installed everywhere, due to data protection and for certain obvious reasons such as in toilets and showers and these are the areas from which most of the items were stolen according to the article. Secondly to propose to install CCTV to watch over all areas in hospitals especially at Mater Dei is ridicules considering the expenses it incurs to purchase, install, save footage, maintain the CCTV system and pay security to man it. As Mr C Camillieri stated abroad ‘streets are monitored with CCTV system’ (not hospitals) and this is done to protect Citizens against major bodily harm such as terrorists attack and not to save guard ‘toilet paper’ of ‘soap dispensers’. Also what would be the reaction of the general public if security would start searching every person going of our hospitals? Wouldn’t it be the only hospital in the world employing such regime? Wouldn’t such regime be more expensive for the tax payer then to replace the few soap dispensers and toilet paper?
M.Farrugia
Dec 28th 2009, 10:23
Kulhadd jibghat il-kummenti tieghu u jghid x'ara issir u jitkellem generali. Nistaqsi lil dawk li ikkumentaw dwar il-hazin li araw jekk ghamlux rapport lis-security jew lin-nurse. Jekk le naqsu mid-dover taghhom lejn cittadini oħra.
J Martinelli
Dec 27th 2009, 20:45
Surprised? I know of incidents when babies were snatched from baby crèches, let alone a roll of toilet paper! And not from third world hospitals, neither. But seriously, this is a disgrace and proof that some people want something for nothing even if they have to steal it. I wonder who fostered that kind of attitude in them?! It can't be poverty because they either had to take the bus or drive their own car to Mater Dei! Besides, when a nation affords to donate an average of almost six euros per man, woman and child to L-istrina, stealing stuff from the hospital because of need, is farthest away from a plausible reason for these petty criminal acts. Yes, tighter security and heftier penalties should smarten up the petty thieves
c. camilleri
Dec 27th 2009, 16:51
I do not blame the visitors. I blame the hospital authorities for lack of discipline. Moaning will get us nowhere. Those caught should be thought a lesson. With CCTV cameras this has become less difficult. In other countries entire streets are monitored by cameras and culprits are quickly identified. What are all those security guards being paid for???????????????????
J. J. Borg
Dec 27th 2009, 15:24
While I have no doubt that these stories are all true, I hope that nurses' manners have also improved since the move from Saint Luke's. I happened to be visiting my family in Malta about four years ago when my infant daughter was briefly admitted to Karen Grech. The quality of care given seemed to be rather variable and dependent on the particular care-giver. Some nurses were great while others were bossy, patronizing, or even plain rude although to be fair they seemed understaffed and overworked. Having lived in a country where privatized health care is the norm, I have to say that I noticed a huge difference in the level of service offered in Malta. On the other hand, not having to buy health insurance or pay your own hospital bills definitely has its advantages if one is prepared to accept a no-frills service.
D.Bonello
Dec 27th 2009, 15:04
What a disgrace.........not even in.third world countries this things take place. Shameeeeeeee
Criss Camilleri
Dec 27th 2009, 14:37
Laqwa li hemm il membri tas-sigurta, running around all over the place. To walk out of a Ward with a stool is incredible. But why am I being surprised, some weeks a Patient walked out of MDH with all the Hospital's medical equipment still hanging on to his body. And where does it say that Mobiles are to be switched off? If this to be, then the Staff, Doctors, Nurses, etc. are to give an example.
Eric Soames
Dec 27th 2009, 14:33
Annoyances? Lack of respect? I believe the behaviour described is more accurately called rude, ill-mannered and criminal.
Valhmor A. Zammit M.D.
Dec 27th 2009, 12:36
Welcome to Malta!