Reader’s opinion|The government’s decision will cause insecurity and human suffering for the residents of the area.
Government announced on Friday 6.9. that the Varkaus and Iisalmi night shifts in Pohjois Savo will end by the end of 2025. Instead, the night duty in Kouvola, which was under threat of termination, can continue. Is the health and safety of a resident of Kymenlaakso more important than the health and safety of a resident of Pohjois Savo? Does the government rank Finns according to their place of residence? Or according to which region the voters of the governing parties live in?
Iisalmen and the cities of Varkaus and the welfare area of Pohjois Savo have opposed the abolition of night shifts. We in Pohjois-Savo have long distances and bad roads. For example, the journey from the outskirts of Varkaus to Kuopio University Hospital takes easily two hours. Is it humane when a person is in acute need of help? The availability of taxis is also poor. I have heard several stories about not being able to get a Kela taxi, especially at night. The same has also been proven in the emergency room, where patients have had to stay overnight because a taxi has not been received or at least they have had to wait several hours for a taxi.
Government and the hospital network working group have justified the end of night shifts by saying that there is enough staff for daytime services. In both Varkaus and Iisalmi, there is one doctor and two nurses in line at night. Will this save the personnel shortage in the war? The emergency department of Kuopio University Hospital (Kys) is already often overcrowded and patients lie there for days waiting for a place in the department.
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We in Pohjois-Savo have long distances and bad roads.
After closing the Varkaus and Iisalmi night shifts, Kys will be even more congested, which will lead to both patient safety and occupational safety being compromised. In emergency rooms, we are used to the rush and pressure, but even that cannot be increased indefinitely. Before long, the constant rush, pressure and ethical stress lead to staff exhaustion and an increase in sick leave.
Based on the discussion in the public, we have got the impression that people go to emergency rooms at night with ailments that do not require emergency care. In primary healthcare emergency rooms, the assessment of the need for treatment also works at night, according to the national guidelines. Several different symptoms, injuries and illnesses that do not require special medical care can be treated at night in the primary health care emergency room. These include, for example, conservatively treated fractures, wounds, urinary incontinence and general condition decline. Mental health and substance abuse patients, as well as those in social distress, can be supported overnight in primary healthcare emergency rooms.
This the board’s decision will not regulate money and it will not ensure the adequacy of the staff. Instead, it will cause insecurity and human suffering for the residents of the area. It will also make the work of authorities such as the police and rescue services more difficult. I hope the parliament has enough understanding to stop this plan.
Nea Tolvanen
paramedic amk, chief shop steward, Varkaus
The reader’s opinions are speeches written by HS readers, selected and edited by the HS editorial board. You can leave an opinion piece or familiarize yourself with the principles of writing at the address www.hs.fi/kiryotamielipidekeisuis/.
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