Immediately after the “Krone” reported a patient on the ground, the “witch hunt” began. The clinic in Donaustadt is looking for a mole. Instead of putting all our energy into solving the problems (acute staff shortages, gang beds), we now play detective. This has come under strong criticism from the FPÖ, ÖVP and the Medical Association.
Who took the photos and gave them to the newspaper? Instead of putting all their energy into solving the problems – acute shortage of nurses, beds in the hallway – management has to snoop around the house looking for ‘perpetrators’. This is intended to intimidate debunkers (not for the first time). They’ve been getting secret emails and phone numbers for a long time. Fear of job loss and bullying.
Hardly anyone dares to expose obvious grievances openly and by name. What does that say about the working atmosphere in hospitals?
Councilor of Health Peter Hacker explained that employees should not have time for photos, but should help immediately. FPÖ leader Dominik Nepp accused hackers of mocking staff and called for their dismissal. The Wigev Hospital Association claims the man who fell from the bloody bed was helped within minutes.
That night there were two nurses on the ward, responsible for almost 30 patients! The next day, hospital staff filed a hazard report. This means that regular business operations are virtually no longer possible due to a lack of staff. According to Wigev, there should be no connection between the two incidents.
Stefan Ferenci, vice-president of the Vienna Medical Association, calls for a crisis summit: “According to the media report, the night shift in the Donauspital was seriously understaffed when the photo was taken – unfortunately that does not surprise me at all. But what surprises me is the reaction of the municipal councilor for Public Health, Peter Hacker. I wouldn’t first think about who in the hospital staff took the photo, but rather about how we can prevent something like this from happening in the future.”
Medical Association confirms call for help from hospitals
The cries for help expressed in the Kronen Zeitung can be confirmed: “There are hardly any nurses and the doctors that still exist regularly burn out. Ultimately, it is the patients who suffer the most. A healthcare system financed by solidarity can never afford such horror scenes, especially not on a regular basis,” said Ferenci.
And ÖVP health spokeswoman Ingrid Korosec warns: “The labor force’s cry for help should not be ignored. Councilor for Health Hacker must take responsibility.”
The Medical Association has presented a ten-point plan to “save Vienna’s hospitals”. But serious discussions were long overdue.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
