Space crunch a legitimate issue
(letter to the editor)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 12, 2006

It may have surprised some readers, but it certainly was no surprise to me to read about the ongoing space crunch at Oconomowoc (Memorial) Hospital.

I know the people at Oconomowoc and ProHealth continue to claim that there is no need for a new hospital in the area, but my experience at Oconomowoc Memorial tells a different story - and one that more closely follows with your recent article regarding the emergency bed status.

I delivered my twins at Oconomowoc hospital last March, and there apparently were similar space problems at that time. The day after my girls were born, a nurse came into our room and told me the unit was full and they had run out of bassinets. She asked me if we could free up a bassinet by putting both of my babies into one.

I couldnt say no because I didnt want another baby to go without. They were big girls, and both of them were crammed into one bassinet for the remainder of my stay.

Oconomowoc officials can talk all they want about need, but the bottom line is they were not able to meet my familys needs. There is no excuse for making newborn twins share the same bassinet. Its not fair and its not safe. No matter what ProHealth says, we need a new hospital.

Nicole Klaus
Dousman

Editors note: The letter writer is an Aurora Health Care employee.