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'Why couldn't I visit dying dad?'
BIDDING goodbye to the dying is never easy.
But perhaps what's worse is not having the chance to see your loved one for the last time. That was what happened to the close-knit Sheun family.
Mr Sheun Chye Thok, 63, was upset that a lapse by Changi General Hospital (CGH) staff made him miss seeing his father for the last time before he died on May14.
His father was just two days shy of turning 97.
Mr Sheun had tried to see his father, Mr Sheun Fei Yuen, 96, that morning but was turned away as it was outside visiting hours.
His father died about 11/2 hours later.
The older Mr Sheun had been on the hospital's dangerously ill list, which means that he is allowed up to four visitors at all times.
But the nurse on duty the night before had failed to indicate this. As a result, the morning nurse was unaware of the ailing man's status and counter staff told Mr Sheun that he couldn't see his father.
The hospital has since apologised to the family.
Mr Sheun's father, who had end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which affects the lungs, was admitted the night before his death. His condition had worsened over the last six months, his family said.
The next morning, the younger Mr Sheun went to the hospital at around 8.30am. But he was denied entry as visiting hours are from noon to 2pm and 5pm to 9pm daily.
"Delayed by all this administrative stuff"
He told The New Paper in Mandarin: "When I insisted, (the counter staff) rang my father's ward and spoke to the nurse, but I was still not allowed to go up.
"I was angry and upset. My father was very ill, yet I couldn't see him and find out if the doctor had any updates on his condition. They kept telling me the same thing - that I couldn't go up."
So Mr Sheun decided to go to work and return later during visiting hours.
He runs a traditional Chinese medicine hall in Tampines, a business he took over from his late father.
But at around 9.45am, the hospital called informing him that his father's condition had deteriorated.
So, he rushed to the hospital with his mother, 88, his wife, 59, and his son and his daughter-in-law.
When they arrived, there were further delays, he said. They were told to register at one counter and then queue at another counter to get a pass.
Mr Shuen said: "It didn't make sense. (The hospital) rang us to hurry down. Then when we get there, we are delayed by all this administrative stuff."
Too late
After checking with the ward, the counter staff allowed the family access to the ward without registering.
But it didn't make any difference - Mr Sheun's father had died half an hour earlier at 10am. With tears in his eyes, Mr Sheun said: "I was so heartbroken. There are so many people in the family, yet at the time of his death, no one was by his side."
The late Mr Sheun leaves behind his wife, a daughter in her 50s who migrated to Canada, his son, MrSheun Chye Thok, six grandchildren and a three-year-old great-grandson.
His grandson, Mr Sheun Hoong Fatt, who also lives in Tampines, said that he had seen his grandfather the night before his death.
His grandfather was being fed by their domestic helper and his eyes were closed. When he did not respond to his family's attempts to rouse him, they called for an ambulance.
Mr Sheun Hoong Fatt found out through an exchange between a nurse and doctor in the ward that his grandfather had been put on the dangerously ill list.
He said: "If my father had seen my grandfather and found out how bad his condition was, he could have told us.
"We could have all gone down earlier to see him. He wouldn't have been alone when he died."
The family said a CGH doctor apologised to them and a member of the nursing staff visited them at MrSheun's wake on May 15 with a letter of apology from the hospital.
They are not placated.
Mr Sheun Hoong Fatt said: "One of the nurses who was responsible for the error was in the ward when we were there. Yet she didn't apologise to us."
The family was also unhappy that the late MrSheun's name was misspelt in the letter of apology. Mr Sheun Hoong Fatt said: "The people involved have to understand the severity of their actions.
"It wasn't fair to my family, it wasn't fair to my grandfather."
His father hopes the hospital would not make the same mistake again.
"I hope all hospitals can improve their visitation system so there's better coordination between all departments," he said.
Hospital takes full responsibility for mix-up
CHANGI General Hospital has taken full responsibility for the "lapse by our staff" and reprimanded the people involved.
Ms Lee Yen Yen, CGH's director of nursing, said the hospital has apologised to the Sheun family. "This is a serious matter... we believe that visits from loved ones are very important to the sick," she told The New Paper.
Despite its visiting restrictions, the hospital makes "exceptions for those who are critically ill to receive an unlimited number of visitors" round the clock.
"Everyone deserves to be in the company of loved ones during the final hours," said Ms Lee.
Mr Sheun was on the dangerously ill list, which should have permitted him four visitors even outside visiting hours. For patients on the critically ill list, there is no limit to the number of visitors and visiting hours.
Ms Lee said the night nurse did not make a note that Mr Sheun was placed on the list and failed to pass this information to the morning nurse.
"As a result, this information was not updated in the computer system, for visitations," she added.
"We take full responsibility for this lapse. The staff has been reprimanded and issued a written warning," said Ms Lee.
In addition, the hospital has "tightened" its procedures to prevent similar incidents.
Staff at the visitors' registration counters can check on the status of critically-ill and dangerously-ill patients on the hospital's computer systems to allow special visits.
Counter staff can also call the relevant ward to check on the patient's status.
Ms Lee said: "Although we understand that no apology can make up for their grief and loss, we have conveyed our heartfelt apology and condolences to the family.
"My colleagues have been in touch with the family since this incident occurred."
CGH has also apologised for misspelling the late Mr Sheun's name in its letter of apology.
Earlier this month, The New Paper reported on a family who were unhappy about visitor limitations at CGH. (read more)
An elderly man, 80, who was suffering from kidney failure and on the dangerously ill list, was permitted only four vistors.
This was in line with the hospital's policy.
