But before that decision hit the airwaves we spoke with the nurses at Universal - who are stuck between two worlds: their private employer and their professional association, which has its power base at the KHMH. Yesterday the Nurses Association once again asserted their opposition to the amalgamation. But while they are steadfast, members of the very same organization who work at Universal have their own perspective. Spokesperson for the Universal nurses Sheena Stuart says that no matter how the deal goes they are expected to give the best care possible to the hospital's clients and she appeals to the association to bring them in on the negotiations.
Sheena Stuart, Nurse
"We have met with our nurses and with management and the nurses and we have been given different scenarios and we have considered what would happen. Of course what would happen and we hope would happen are two different things but what I can assure is that our nurses here have been giving a certain standard of care since we've opened our doors and we know that whatever happens, we will continue to provide the same care that we've been giving all along.
In terms of amalgamation, which this word has been used along with merger, amalgamation, rationalization of healthcare, our priority remains and it will always be that we give all patients quality healthcare, quality nursing care. I don't think that our objectives as nurses here at Universal and objectives as the NAB are any different. We want the same thing, we want quality care and we want our nurses to have opportunities for upward mobility, we want study leave, all that and we support them fully, we continue to support them fully in this.
We have not seen any disadvantage of coming together and providing tertiary care and having general care at KHMH for the country of Belize. It should only benefit Belizeans everywhere and I think it is a good thing. We don't anticipate any major changes. What we have been assured of and that there will be regular services. Exactly what we have been doing all along, we will continue to do all along. I told you that I think it is a good thing and we believe it will be a good thing for the betterment of all Belizeans. Our nurses are at this point in time, we are satisfied of what we have been told, what we have been reassured of. When the time comes and something else happens then we will come to together and decide whatever we need to do then. We have to be strong and we have to unite and this is not what has happening lately. We've seem to have created disunion between nurses, Karl Heusner and Universal which is very unfortunate but we still want to take the opportunity to ask to please be a part of whatever decision making, but we still want to take the opportunity to ask to please be a part of whatever decision making, whenever meetings are being held because we need representation as well. I don't want to turn this into no Karl Heusner against Universal because I think that where it has been heading, particularly for the nurses and we have to realize that we are all colleagues."
Stuart says that the Nurses Association had included them on a task force examining the merger, but they had to withdraw because of the hostility in the first and only meeting which their representative attended.
