Staffexperiencesondeployment

OnestaffmemberthathasrecentlyreturnedfromdeploymentisCamGrant-Fargie,who wasdeployedtoHawke'sBayFallenSoldiers'MemorialHospitalinHastings. Here'swhathehadtosayabouthisexperience...

I arrived in Hawkes Bay on Wednesday 22 February after receiving a very concerning brief from the national workforce team prior to leavingthe comfort of Taranaki.

WhenaskedwhereIwantedtowork,Iput myhandupforsurgicalormedicalwardstocover absentstaff. IwasplacedinwardA4–GeneralSurgical–abitlikeWard3Ahere,butwithout Urology.

The pre-deployment briefing made me worried about the conditions and I planned accordingly for impacted infrastructure (water/power) and potential for limited creature comforts. I was very relieved to find that Hastings was not as significantly impacted as I had feared. We were well looked after and shared a house with other deployed workers.

During the 10 days I spent in Hastings, I worked in the Surgical Ward (the first time in years!) allbutoneday.Themanagerofthewardresortedtosleepinginherofficeforafewdays due to living in Napier and working in Hastings; the roads subsequently opened allowing staff to travel safely betweenthe two cities which relieved staffing troubles somewhat.

Elective surgeries had been reduced but occupancy remained high. Staffing was close to baselineandwhentherainarrivedagainthelevelofanxietywasprofoundamongstthestaff – fear very clearly remained.

Staff displayed great resilience and attended duties despite what had happened. Initially I coveredtheroleof anurse whocouldonlygettoworkaftera 3-hour journeywhichincluded a boat ride!

Patientsarepatientswhereveryougo,howevermovingtoanewhospitalwastrickyandyou have to just trust yourself and judgement. It was great that they had paper drug charts and old school medication rooms as getting used to technology (etc.) was the hardest thing. I wasverywellsupportedtolookafteragroupofpatientswithabuddy –inateam,whichwas a safe method.

The staff in the ward were very grateful for the deployed staff working in the hospital (there were a handful I bumped into – senior nurses). I got a lot of thanks and folks took thetime to talk - which was also great as I needed a ride home after the PM shifts! I did inform them if we have volcano trouble, I do expect their assistance; they agreed.

TheareabetweenNapierandHastingswasmyfirstimpressionofthebay–itwasprofoundly disrupted. Along withthe awesome staff I met in the Baythe driveinto Hastings will staywith me asthe force of mother nature was dramatic.