Letter: Nursing official at Saint Louise questions story in paper

I have been in the Health Care business for over 20 years and have worked at a number of hospitals in this state and abroad. Every time the surveyors, State or Federal, inspect a facility they find points of “non-compliance” and “deficiencies”. In fact it’s their job to find these issues. Just as a driver risks losing his/her right to drive if they do not comply with the rules of the road, hospitals must follow their own set or rules or risk penalty. When a surveyor finds a hospital out of compliance on something, there is the threat of Federal/State funds being pulled. This is nothing new. It happens all the time and at every hospital in the country. This is all part of the process that helps a hospital achieve excellence in patient care and safety. Why don’t your reporters report these facts? Why does the local paper here not support their only hospital? The reporting is so negative and full of doom that I believe you are doing your readership a disservice. Do you ever consider celebrating the good work Saint Louise does on a daily basis? I see it from the front row. I’ve seen lives saved here. I see people made well here every day. Do you think we will see a front page story on one of the very many wonderful successes achieved at Saint Louise?
I notice on your home page that Hazel Hawkins has a banner advertisement on the top of the screen as well as a nice color advertisement in your newspapers. Have you reported on the surveys that have taken place at that organization? Have you reported the points of non-compliance and deficiencies that were discovered there?
You may want to consider lifting your hospital up instead of beating it down. It’s a good hospital with good people doing good work for the people of South County. Please take care of your hospital. It’s the only one you have.
Kevin Doherty, RN, House Supervisor, Saint Louise Regional Hospital