"Poor Crisis Management In Blood Testing Department"

Whereas on the one hand three members of staff in the outpatients blood testing department were extremely caring to a very poorly pregnant lady today 15th March 2024, On the other hand, once several doctors’, several nurses and the crash team (I guess) had arrived within minutes, there was absolutely no need for the three members of staff who were taking blood tests to stop their work and bring the whole department to a standstill for one hour. Actually, it was visible that a couple of other pregnant ladies were struggling with having to wait so long, they were looking quite flushed and exasperated. The waiting room was full, and filling up, at one point at least 27 outpatients patiently waiting whilst the poorly lady was being tended to by several nurses, several doctors and the crash team whilst the blood test staff just stood around, they were not needed once the emergency medics arrived. Of course the very poorly lady’s respect and dignity had to be considered and yes, she was just inside the door of the blood testing room but surely the staff could have thought outside the box rather then bring the whole department to a “total standstill” in excess of one hour, for all waiting patiently. It was suggested that a portable screen was found to offer the poorly lady privacy and the blood tests to continue but there wasn’t one. Ok, well why not go find a portable screen from elsewhere ? It was suggested that they just use another room within the department and continue with the blood tests, there were two rooms right there not being used but there wasn’t a chair ! Ok, well call a porter to find three chairs so that the three members of staff could resume their task in hand, i.e. taking blood tests. No, none of this happened and it was absolutely ridiculous that one very poorly patient, through no fault of her own, couldn’t be put behind a portable screen or that the blood test staff couldn’t sort out chairs in the two empty rooms rather than have outpatients, several coming over from the maternity clinic, waiting, a complete standstill in excess of one hour. Appalling crisis management. Maybe the blood test department should learn from this and have a screen there “just incase” and a couple of spare chairs “just incase” an outpatient should take poorly.