Efforts to protect patient safety

Amidst the murky water and harsh weather, the hospital's leadership, doctors, nurses and staff had to race against time, making every effort every minute to protect the safety of hundreds of patients, especially pregnant women and newborns.

Director of Dak Lak Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital Nguyen Nhu Y said that during the recent historic flood, the Hospital's Board of Directors proactively activated the flood prevention plan, implementing the "4 on-site" plan: on-site command, on-site forces, on-site means and supplies, and on-site logistics. Doctors were assigned to work 24/24 hours, and at the same time, a coordination plan was established with Phu Yen General Hospital to be ready to transfer to another hospital in case of emergency.

On the afternoon of November 19, when the water level began to rise rapidly, the seriously ill patients, especially those requiring ventilators, were urgently transferred by the medical team to Phu Yen General Hospital through the internal gate. Those were tense moments, when every move had to be carefully calculated to ensure the safety of mother and baby.

Midwives examine and encourage pregnant women receiving treatment at Dak Lak Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital during the storm and flood.

By the evening of the same day, the water level on the street was more than 1.5 m high. Dak Lak Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital was officially isolated and fell into a state of power outage. In such dire circumstances, doctors still maintained their professional activities, performing 23 surgeries from November 19 to 21, of which 12 cases on ventilators were transferred to the hospital before the power outage. Notably, 5 normal births in conditions lacking light and equipment still took place safely.

Ms. Nguyen Nu Hoang Dan, O Loan commune, recalled: “I was lying on the stretcher, worried, hearing that the water was up to the roof downstairs, calling my husband but couldn’t reach him, so I was very confused. Luckily, the surgery was safe.”

Similarly, Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Anh in Phu Yen ward was 8 months pregnant and had severe abdominal pain as if she was about to go into labor. Her younger sister took her to the hospital in the rainy weather, along with the anxiety of her parents and husband being at home to fight the flood. Thanks to the careful examination and care of doctors, her health and spirit were stable.

According to statistics at Dak Lak Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital, the peak of the flood was on the night of November 20 and on November 21, when more than 700 people stayed at the hospital, including 302 patients, nearly 400 relatives and medical staff.

Midwife Dang Thi Thu Ha shared: “The water level rose, patients discharged from the hospital could not go home so they had to stay. At night, we had to examine patients with flashlights, phones, and sometimes when the batteries ran out, we had to use candles and oil lamps. Many patients were worried because they could not contact their relatives, so we not only took care of their health but also had to reassure them mentally.”

During the isolation period, food was brought in by local rescue teams by canoe. Only when the water receded were charity groups able to access support. However, the most difficult problem was the lack of clean water. Each day, the fire department could only provide about 10 m³ of water, while the actual need was up to 60 m³/day.

To respond, the hospital's disaster prevention team had to go out and buy more bottled water for storage, prioritizing daily use and emergency use.

According to Director of Dak Lak Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital Nguyen Nhu Y, after the historic flood, Dak Lak Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital has returned to stable operation. In addition to overcoming the consequences caused by storms and floods, the hospital has promoted medical examination and treatment, and proactively deployed plans to respond to any unusual developments of natural disasters. With the spirit of dedication and the highest responsibility, the staff, doctors and nurses of Dak Lak Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital are always ready to ensure maximum safety for patients and maintain treatment in all conditions.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/xa-hoi/202512/no-luc-bao-ve-an-toan-nguoi-benh-efc1a6c/