Maria Hospital: Body kept in kitchen for hours

A body in the morgue at Maria Hospital had to be placed in the refrigerated storage area of ​​the hospital’s kitchen for several hours to preserve it due to a power outage.

On the night of June 22 to 23, a power outage affected certain areas of the Baie-des-Chaleurs hospital, including the morgue. However, a body was being kept there, as is sometimes the case at the request of a coroner or police services.

To prevent the body from spoiling, a manager asked a support worker to place it in a cold room in the hospital’s kitchen, a facility dedicated to food.

In a written statement, the Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) of Gaspésie acknowledges the facts.

It is important to mention that this is an exceptional situation in which a rapid solution had to be deployed in order to preserve the integrity of the body as clinically required.

The regional health network adds that the kitchen was not in use at the time of the events, which occurred in the middle of the night. The organization also indicates that the body, doubly protectedwas not in contact with the food that was in the cold room and that this food was also protected.

The CISSS Gaspé adds that the remains were returned to the morgue as soon as the conditions allowing it to do so were met.

I dare to believe that people analyzed all the possibilities before going there. It created a form of unease among the staff who work in the kitchen.

We know that the body was replaced before these people came home in the morning, but the fact remains that there is a lot of talk about it at the Maria hospital center at the moment.adds Mr. Boulay.

While the unionist does not wish to blame the manager who made this decision, he wants to stress that it is important that the worker who carried out the task requested by a superior is not subject to any form of reprisal.

The CISSS says it wants to find a solution

In writing, the CISSS de la Gaspésie confirms that it is already working to find a solution. The regional health network wants to equip the cold room of the morgue, which does not have one, with an electrical backup using the hospital’s generator.

Pierre-Luc Boulay is optimistic about what will happen next. CISSS will still be able to take responsibility in this matter”,”text”:”I think that the CISSS will still be able to take responsibility in this matter”}}”>I think the CISSS will be able to take responsibility in this matterhe believes, specifying that the case does not reflect well on the organization. He adds that it is especially important to find a solution to prevent other families who have lost a loved one from having to experience this kind of event.

The Eastern Quebec Nurses, Nursing Assistants and Respiratory Therapists Union (SIIIEQ), which represents other employees on duty that night, believes that a game plan must be proposed.

Everyone attests that this situation, as of today, has happened. I hope that there will be a plan, a clear directive for implementation if ever a situation like this happens again.says its president, Pier-Luc Bujold.

The SIIIEQ alleges a Omerta

While Radio-Canada was unable to confirm this information, the SIIIEQ claims that the CISSS Gaspésie formally asked the workers present on the night of June 22 to 23 not to spread any information about the events that occurred.

The president of the union organization, Pier-Luc Bujold, even mentions a Omerta.

There can always be unusual situations that do not conform to habits as a result of unexpected events. The fact of wanting to put the table on the cauldron is always something that bothers us at the union.

I think that the more we talk about a situation, the more we can succeed in finding solutions and moving forward, collectively.argues Pier-Luc Bujold. Everything always ends up being knownhe concluded.

At the time of publication, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food had not responded to our request for information relating to this matter.

With the collaboration of Isabelle Larose