In response to a viral video on Facebook that cast one of their staff members in bad light, the National University Hospital (NUH) refuted the accusation that a pregnant patient did not receive urgent attention. Though they did admit that the staff member could have dealt with the situation better.
Facebook user Preet Sandhu posted about an incident she encountered last Sunday at the NUH Emergency Medicine Department, expressing her aggravation at seeing a pregnant woman not getting wheeled into the hospital immediately. Preet claimed that the male nurse at the counter did not give proper attention to the pregnant mother, even telling an assistant to hold off from bringing her in for treatment and left the woman unattended for seven minutes.
Video footage of the incident (that has since been taken down) depicted the pregnant patient wincing in pain as a staff member at the counter busied himself by attending to another person waiting in line. The woman was eventually wheeled in, as Preet piled angry comments at the counter staff member.
“We have looked into it”
NUH disputed Preet’s version of events, particularly her claims that the pregnant patient was unassisted for seven minutes outside the Emergency Medicine Department. According to CCTV records, the patient had been promptly transferred to the delivery suite within four minutes of her arrival. The short delay was because of the proper protocols that had to be carried out prior to admission.
“She arrived at our EMD at 11.16am and took a seat outside the EMD while her husband approached the screening counter at the entrance. As part of the process, the screening staff had to obtain some information on the patient and her condition before he could call the delivery suite to arrange for admission,” NUH clarified in a Facebook post.
A porter wheeled her in at 11:18am and she was transferred to the delivery suite two minutes later. The hospital was happy to report that the child was delivered successfully on Sunday evening.
NUH did acknowledge that the staff member accused could have shown more empathy during the incident. The hospital has also issued an apology to the patient and her husband for their experience.
In defense of uncle
With Preet’s claims being disproved, netizens took to Facebook to defend the NUH staff member she attacked, citing their own positive experiences with him.
Preet, however, remained adamant that she was telling the truth and claimed that “the whole drama” lasted about 16 minutes.
