Saskatoon hospital care criticized after senior waits 3 days in hallway

Advocates are renewing calls for better working conditions and patient dignity at Saskatoon’s Royal University Hospital.

It comes amid reports that an elderly woman spent three days in the emergency department hallway before getting a room.

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• Patient throwing up blood spends days in hospital hallway

According to her son, Neil Ferniuk, 94-year-old Berdeane Bodley lives with dementia and suffered a fall in late September.

“Unfortunately she broke her collarbone, and was in the hallway for three days before she got a bed.”

Ferniuk lives in Edmonton, and recounted a similar instance a year earlier when Bodley fractured a hip.

She waited two days before getting an acute care bed.

“Obviously, it’s pretty tough. I mean, it’s your mom. Fortunately, she remembers who I am, but not having familiar things around her, it’s very hard.”

‘Totally unacceptable’

According to the Saskatchewan NDP, conditions at Royal University Hospital continue to worsen.

Critic for seniors, Keith Jorgenson, says this was the same facility where 30-year-old Kirsten Hanke spent days waiting for treatment for a broken ankle and later died from complications related to that injury.

“I’m frankly angry because this is the same facility that approximately a year ago, hundreds of front-line health-care workers sent a letter to the Minister of Health and the Premier, demanding that they come and investigate the unsafe conditions at this hospital and provide support so they could do their job, and [they] did none of that.”

Speaking at an Oct. 20 news conference, Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said incidents like this are why the provincial government is making “significant investments” in public health care.

“That’s why expanding the capacity that we have in all three of our Saskatoon sites is so important to help move patients through to get the right care at the right time.”

Cockrill also highlighted additional investments in primary care, nurse practitioners, and continuing care.

“Investments in all of those areas to ensure that patients are getting the right care in the right place.”

Meanwhile, Bodley now has a private room at Royal University Hospital.

Unfortunately, Ferniuk says she may not be able to return to her care home and more familiar surroundings.

“In talking with the nurses, they’re telling me the system’s broken. Hopefully, this story gets to fix it.”

Read more:

• Saskatoon hospitals add 80 new acute care beds across city
• Royal University Hospital emergency department waiting room reopens after water leak
• Patient throwing up blood spends days in hospital hallway