Birch Hills woman claims she was denied dialysis treatment after refusing to wear a mask

She claims she was denied dialysis the following Wednesday on Aug. 5 where she was told she would not receive dialysis without a mask. But two days later, she said staff members allowed her to hold a plastic shield in front of her face in lieu of a mask.

On Monday Aug. 10, Smith told paNOW she was told once again she would not receive treatment without a mask. The plastic shield was no longer offered to her as an option, she said. She did not receive treatment that day.

This week on Wednesday Smith went for two hours of treatment where she wore a mask but held it away from her face. She also was allowed to take off the mask when the nurses were not in the room, she said.

“I was very scared, very nervous with it and kind of panicking,” she said. “They were unhappy with me holding it away from my face a little bit because they wanted it to be completely on my face. Which I can’t do. I just can’t do it. I can’t breathe properly. It causes me lots of stress.”

To remain healthy, Smith said she goes for dialysis three times a week and explained the process takes around four hours.

“The mask to me feels like someone’s actually coming up behind me, like a mugging would be, grabbing their hand around my nose and my mouth and suffocating me,” she said.

She said the situation has been frustrating because dialysis is a life-saving therapy and without it, she builds up toxins and fluid in her body. Without treatment she said it’s very difficult to survive.

Her main message is not everyone can wear a mask.

“There are people who have lots of different medical conditions,” she said. “They need to reconsider and not just say everybody flat out. They need to take a patient and individually decide what can this person do? Can they wear the mask?”

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) wrote to paNOW a response on behalf of Andrew McLetchie, the vice president of Integrated Northern Health.

The SHA would not comment specifically on Smith’s case citing patient privacy and stressed the authority does not refuse treatment. The authority highlighted the mask requirement is a safety necessity for dialysis patients, who are more vulnerable to the negative effects of COVID-19.

“All dialysis patients at the Prince Albert Victoria Hospital satellite unit are required by SHA policy to wear masks during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. The SHA made the decision to have all dialysis patients wear masks to protect this vulnerable population,” the statement said. “Dialysis patients are at higher risk for negative outcomes related to COVID-19. We take the safety of all of our patients seriously.”

The statement said the mask requirement is not specific to Prince Albert’s Victoria Hospital as it is also a consistent policy in Regina and Saskatoon.

“The physical environment of the unit and the type of equipment it contains do not allow adequate physical distancing between patients. Furthermore, the treatments take multiple hours which also increases risk of viral transmission,” the statement said.

“Anyone concerned about the care they’ve received is encouraged to directly contact their care provider to work out alternate care arrangements or contact the quality care coordinator in their area.”

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Ian.gustafson@jpbg.ca

by Ian Gustafson

Birch Hills woman claims she was denied dialysis treatment after refusing to wear a mask

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