Complaint about dogs in hospital under investigation

Hospital officials were looking into a complaint this week that dogs were taken to a ward at the weekend for therapeutic purposes — in violation of “strict rules” related to policy on bringing pets to a clinical setting.

The Bermuda Hospitals Board apologized for the incident, which is said to have occurred on Saturday night, and was reported by a woman who told The Royal Gazette that staff were verbally abusive after she flagged up the health hazard.

A BHB spokeswoman responded: “We apologize that a staff member brought her dogs to the long-term care unit outside of the required approval processes.
“We are also extremely sorry that the person raising the complaint was not responded to appropriately; this will be investigated further.”

The woman, who was visiting a patient and who asked not to be named, said two nurses brought on to the ward the two pets that were “not licensed service animals — and their presence in a healthcare environment posed a significant health risk to vulnerable patients, especially those with compromised immune systems”.

She added that the nurses told her the dogs were there for a patient who was dying, which breached patient confidentiality.

The woman said that her complaint was met with “hostility, verbal abuse and accusations of being a troublemaker”.

She said she attempted to take a photograph of the dogs as they “barked and walked around the nurses’ station”.

During the exchange, she said one of the nurses “invaded my personal space, standing very close to me while hurling verbal insults, likely in an attempt to intimidate me”.

She added: “Her behavior was hostile and highly unprofessional, but I continued to stand my ground.”

The woman said she was told the animals were clean and safe to bring in, and nowhere near her loved one, whom she was visiting on the ward.

She added: “Does the hospital have insurance coverage for the potential risks posed by unauthorized animals on the ward?

“Bringing non-licensed animals into a clinical environment not only violates hygiene standards but also exposes the hospital to potential liability issues should an allergic reaction, injury or infection occur.

“Hospitals are meant to be safe, sterile environments where patients receive care, not where policies are ignored, and staff resort to personal attacks when challenged.”

The woman said she reported the matter to the nursing supervisor and added: “It was only after I insisted on escalating the matter to hospital administration that the dogs were removed, and it was acknowledged that their presence on the ward was indeed a violation of policy.

“However, the situation was unnecessarily hostile and unprofessional, and I am deeply disappointed by how the nurses and some members of hospital management handled it.”

The woman, who said she was considering taking further action, added: “I trust that the Bermuda Hospitals Board will take this matter seriously.”

The BHB spokeswoman said the hospital maintained “strict rules in our pet therapy policy about bringing pets to a clinical unit to ensure the safety of our residents”.

She said that all staff were reminded of the hospital’s requirements in its pet therapy policy, “to avoid this happening again”.

The spokeswoman added: “Further, BHB has a harassment, bullying and incivility policy that governs and protects staff members and the public from inappropriate behavior and what may be interpreted as hate speech.

“Behavior that violates our values and policies is not acceptable, whether by staff or by visitors.

“An investigation into the matter has commenced.”