Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter
THE NURSES Association of Jamaica (NAJ) is urging the Government to set up a board of enquiry to investigate the management and practices at the Black River Hospital in St. Elizabeth, following an altercation between members of the NAJ and a doctor last Friday.
Edith Allwood-Anderson, president of the NAJ, told The Gleaner yesterday that she and other members of her organisation had gone to the hospital to investigate nursing practices.
Mrs. Allwood-Anderson said she and the first vice-president of the NAJ were prevented from talking with nurses after the doctor ordered that they leave the hospital.
The NAJ president said the doctor hurled abuses at her and then summoned security personnel who physically attempted to remove the NAJ members from the premises.
This, she said, happened in the clear view of patients and visitors.
"The doctor and nurse who facilitated the fracas must be removed from front-line duty immediately and reassigned elsewhere until the enquiry is completed," she said.
The NAJ president explained that the nurse facilitated the abuse as she was in charge of the department and did not intervene when the expatriate doctor was verbally abusing her and other members of the NAJ.
She said her organisation has no choice but to facilitate "tough love to our colleague,".
"We as an association view this (incident) as unfortunate. The NAJ is concerned about the quality of care offered at the Black River Hospital," Mrs. Allwood-Anderson said.
Following an emergency meeting with executive members of the NAJ yesterday, Mrs. Allwood-Anderson said the doctor will be reported to the Medical Association of Jamaica and the Medical Council.
She said the NAJ will be taking legal action against the security firm.
Meanwhile, Dr Michael Coombs, technical director for the Southern Regional Health Authority, told The Gleaner/Power106 News Centre yesterday that the authority was in the process of investigating the matter. He, however, declined to comment on Mrs. Allwood-Anderson's recommendation that the doctor and nurse should be removed from front-line duty.
