Going Public

When I found myself pregnant again, one of the big decisions I had to make was where to have the baby. I had heard many horror stories about ‘going public’, and being a non-national, I chose to go to the private hospital, Bayview to deliver my first son. In Barbados, the choices are limited to Bayview Hospital or the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) which has both a public and a private Ward. I’ve also heard of a birthing centre someplace but I don’t know much about it. 

Bayview was alright. After experiencing Andrews Memorial Hospital in Jamaica for my sister’s delivery, I wasn’t impressed. And our family income had been reduced, so cost was a bigger factor this time around. QEH’s public ward is free for citizens (which I am not), but the cost to me would be a fraction of the private ward’s fee.
I decided to give QEH a try. It would be good for me to learn some patience if the nurses really were as horrible as I’ve been told. And I was convinced that they couldn’t be so negligent as to let harm come to my child.

My overall conclusion was that it was good. Not great though. But the positives did outweigh the negatives at the end of the day. I do still have a bitter aftertaste on my tongue, since the part I disliked most came at the end of my stay. I do still want to give a general overview for those that have to make this decision.

Pros of Going Public

1. Well trained staff

Even though it is unlikely that you will see the same doctor (or intern or student) twice, they were always very professional, knowledgeable and skilled. They were pleasant and more often than not would crack jokes to make you feel comfortable. I never felt rushed during my antenatal visits and I felt like they paid attention to my questions and addressed my concerns well. I often felt rushed with the private doctors. For my first antenatal visit, I was given a lecture of sorts, where things like diet, and all the tests were explained to me. That was never done at the private doctors.
Apart from on the Ward, the nurses were also very knowledgeable and helpful.
The Labour Ward nurses didn’t baby me, but they were kool, given what they have to deal with. There was always a nurse by my bed throughout labour.

2. First-Class Facilities
I go to the Six Roads Polyclinic for my son’s vaccinations, and I am afraid I will catch something there. So I was pleasantly surprised at how clean the hospital was.
The equipment they used was also up-to-date with what I expect modern standards to be.
I know that the hospital is under financial constraints, but it was not obvious to me as a patient. When I went into the labour ward, I was one of 4 women at the time. All of us had fetal monitors and our contractions were also being monitored. I also had to wear a blood pressure monitor and was on IV fluids throughout the labour process. After labour, my baby had to be in an incubator for a little while. I had to go to the operating theatre (then recovery) as well. So I got quite a good look at different areas in the hospital. And again, I enjoyed the staff in the various sections.

3. Food!
They asked me, on admission, if I had any special dietary requirements. I mentioned that I wanted to be dairy-free just as a precaution. They honoured that request. I overheard another lady explain all the things she didn’t like (reminded me of my picky campers), but they seemed to take her seriously as well. The meals that I received on the Ward were slightly different to the lady that was bedded beside me. So that gave me enough information to know that there was variety.
If you forget all that though, the food did taste good! I enjoyed my meals. My husband will tell you I’m a simple eater, so I may not be the best judge. For breakfast one morning, I got a boiled egg and whole wheat bread slices with canned peaches on the side. For lunch, there was rice and peas and stewed lamb with a cucumber salad and what appeared to be a boiled bake. (That was probably just a boiled dumpling, since Bajans make their dumplins with sugar). I liked it.

4. The cost
I think it is a wonderful thing that health care is free for Barbadian Citizens. It is one less thing to worry about. And it is a big concern for those that don’t have this luxury. They often wait till a disease condition has progressed too far before seeking treatment because they don’t think they will be able to afford it. I don’t know how long it will last, but I thank the Lord for this; not just for the reduced cost I pay, but also for the many Barbadians that benefit.

Cons of Going Public

1. The Wait

The amount of time spent at my antenatal visits from start to finish was about 3-4 hours. About 10-15 minutes of that is with a nurse or doctor. The rest is waiting. If I wanted to get through by 10am, I had to get to the hospital at 6am, even though the clinic officially opens at 8am. There is a number system, so I would pull number 20 if I got there ‘late’, at 7am. You get the idea. They say time is money. It’s a good thing I was already broke. My husband had to keep my toddler for me, so that was quite disruptive to both our work schedules, especially at the end of the pregnancy when I had to go for weekly visits.
I was a little amused having to wait after arriving at the hospital at 4am in labour. Luckily, my contractions had subsided. Maybe things would have been different if I was screaming down the place.

2. Privacy – the lack thereof.

It isn’t called a public hospital for nothing. I am a bit paranoid about having my privacy. Ok, I’m very paranoid. So you can take this with a grain of salt. There were the small differences, like moving the whole sheet for an examination vs. looking under the sheet. And there were the large differences like the shared bathroom facilities. The other ladies were quite lovely, and made the effort to not be in the way of each other. That was probably one of the reasons the Ward was so quiet. Nobody seemed to strike up conversation and make friends. There were 8 beds in my section, which was one of three. And the beds are an arm’s length apart. Curtains are used when a doctor or nurse is making checks, but a curtain can’t block out sound.

3. The Prison Ward aka B3.
This was my first conversation with a prison warden, I mean nurse at 10pm (I arrived at the hospital at about 4am that morning):
Me: Goodnight. I was wondering if I could have a glass of Juice please?
Warden: What?
(I assumed she didn’t hear me properly)
Me: I haven’t had any breakfast and it is night now, so I am very thirsty and I was wondering if I could have some juice
Warden: Juice? You get juice from your house. We don’t have juice here
Me: Oh. Well, can I have some water then please?
She gives me no response, but does return with a tiny cup with some water.

There were bars on the window, and you had to kind of bend to see outside. The view was the entrance of the hospital. We were not allowed to leave the Ward. Visiting hours were strictly enforced. We received 3 square meals on trays. When I complained of boredom, (I know, I’m quite bold!) I was given a book to read. It wasn’t on a cart though, so I suppose that’s different. The Nurses on B3 didn’t smile. They were not mean, but they were just coarse. They had a job to do, and they did it. We were not treated as people, just bed numbers. Coming to think of it, that nurse was actually quite nice to offer me a book. And the 5 chapters I got through was a decent read. Ask for Dust Tracks on a Road by Zora Neale Hurston. I left it on the table by my bed as I made my hasty exit.
I think I upset them by asking questions. I asked what my baby had been fed when I was away in surgery. I asked what time breakfast was (I thought I had slept through it). I asked when the doctors would be there because I needed to be checked so I could go home. I asked about my medication. I asked when I could go home, many times.
I just felt so restricted, sitting there in silence as the hours ticked by, interrupted only by babies’ cries and a little too much touching by the nurses. (Why do they need to check for milk every single day? Why couldn’t they just ask?)

I’m going to stop talking now, before I spoil the rest of my day remembering.

I was so so grateful for the visits I got. Not only because it broke the monotony, but also because it was good to feel supported. I was a part of a community now, and I knew I wouldn’t be doing this alone.
I read through the Book of James. I think if I was enjoying myself, I wouldn’t have. And it was quite appropriate. I asked God for wisdom, and I made an attempt to control my tongue and be patient under trials.
I’ve got to make special mention of Dr. Jordan and Nurse Forde. If you meet them, you will understand. They are like ministering angels sent to prisoners in their times of need.

Should you go public? Yes. Would I do it again? Yes. But next time, I’ll bring my own juice J
VM