Md. Naval Hospital Staff Reports 'Fatigue'

[Guest guest]

When I first read this headline, you all know what I was thinking.

But then they backed away from that conclusion an inch or so.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/14/AR2007031402353_\

pf.html

Md. Naval Hospital Staff Reports 'Fatigue'

Workload, Poor Maintenance Driving Workers Away, Some Testify at Hearing

By Steve Vogel

Washington Post Staff Writer

Thursday, March 15, 2007; B01

A doctor at the National Naval Medical Center yesterday warned a

Pentagon review panel that medical staff at the Bethesda hospital are

overworked and suffering from " compassion fatigue. "

Even as relatives of injured Marines universally praised the medical

care and treatment of families in Bethesda, the doctor and several

other current and former employees spoke of problems with the

workload, maintenance and facilities at the sprawling complex.

The testimony came at a hearing before the Pentagon's independent

review group, appointed last month by Defense Secretary M.

Gates to look into rehabilitative care for injured service members.

Although the focus has largely been on Walter Army Medical

Center, Gates ordered the naval hospital be included in the review to

fully gauge treatment in the Washington region.

Lt. Cmdr. Brandt E. Rice, a family medicine practitioner at the naval

hospital, testified that doctors are saddled with too many

administrative duties, lack enough time to devote to patients and face

bureaucratic hassles. " My vocalness about this need has been met by

some degree of resistance and also retaliation, " Rice said.

Ursula Henry, a former Navy worker at the hospital, said some staff

members have been " so frustrated with the whole scenario that they

left to go across the street " to work at the National Institutes of

Health.

Piles, who has worked in the facilities management department at

the hospital for 28 years, testified that maintenance has grown

dramatically worse in the two years since the Navy switched from

public employees to a private contractor, a decision she described as

a " disaster. "

Piles said there are operating rooms where temperatures are too hot or

too cold, in addition to plumbing problems, floods and leaks. " We have

struggled for two years with a contractor who can't keep up, " she

said.

Bonifant, a research coordinator for a private foundation that

works with Vietnam War veterans, complained of an effort to get a

handrail installed to help disabled veterans go up steps into a

building on the hospital campus. " We were strong-armed into letting it

drop, " she testified. A hospital spokesman said the handrail was not

installed because the building is used for administrative purposes.

After the hearing, panel members said they were struck by contrasts

with the testimony heard the previous day at Walter .

A number of speakers at the Army hospital praised the medical care,

but many witnesses told of problems with outpatient care and lack of

support given to family members. No such complaints were heard at

Bethesda.

" It's been harder at Walter , and we think it's a major issue of

resources, where the institution has been literally overwhelmed, " said

panel member Bacchus, a former Democratic congressman from

Florida.

No Walter staff members volunteered to testify during Tuesday's

hearing. " We really need to understand that difference, "

Roadman, a retired Air Force lieutenant general and panel member, said

of the contrast to the Bethesda hospital hearing.

[Guest guest]

I love how they come up with terms like " compassion fatigue. " What a bunch

of you know what.!!! I'm sure they probably are suffering from exposure to

molds. When I first started getting so tired and complaining about it to

coworkers they would all say they were tired too. I just thought everyone felt

the

same and we were just working too hard and getting older. I now know

better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That type of fatigue is just not

normal!!

Sue

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