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HB NEWS PRESSURES UNPRECEDENTED, SAYS HALTON HEALTHCARE VP Continued from page 1 tals in Georgetown, Milton and Oakville are under extreme pressur‘ "We are facing a nursing shortage, while experien cing a ‘igh volume of pa- tients needing care,’ a nh the online post. “At times, we do not have enough staff to service all areas of the ED (Emergency Department). This is resulting in longer wait times and the temporary reduction of our treatment areas. Everyone is working tirelessly to ensure patients receive the care they need. Please be kind.’ ton Healthcare staff were unable to provide an average wait time for their emergency epartments and monitors within the ‘iting rooms that normally tell people how long it will be before they can see a doctor are no longer providing this information. “Patients are prioritized based on their needs when they arrive," id Cindy McDonell, senior vice president of clinical operations, Halton Healthcare. “This means the sickest people will be seen first and those with less serious med- ical concerns may wait longer. Sceataen noted Halton Healthcare “unprecedented staffing and patient vol- ume pressures. On the staffing side, Sharon Norris, Halton Healthcare's vice President of hu- ‘sources, not while Halton Healthcare continues to “attract and re- ruit staff, there is a limited number of ex- perienced health-care workers available to recruit across Ontario and Canada. McDonell said COVID-19 continues to playa significant role in the staffing short- eiThe rate of COVID-19 related hospital staff absences is similar to the level of ill- ness that is being seen in our communities and impacting other businesses and st “This number also fluctuates on a daily basis. As of July 22, there were 84 si across all three hospitals unable to work due to COVID illness or isolation require- ments. Absences for COVID-19 in hospital staff results in an extended isolation peri- od and the need te to stay home — for safety and to prevent further infections within the hospital — and contribute to the staff- ing challenges.” Halton Healthcare se- nior vice president of patient ongagement and chief nursing executive, said anc major problem is that the three emergency departments have seen an increase in the number of sicker patients who require lon- ger staysin department for diagnosis and treatment. m April 1 to sune 30, Jickling said Halton Healthcare’s emergency depart- ments saw a 21 per cent rise in these higher acuity patients, including: a 29 per cent in- crease at Georgetown Hospital, a 35 per cent increase at Milton District Hospital andan 11 per cent increase at Oakville Tra- falgar Memorial Hospital compared to pre- pandemic volumes. “During the same period, thenumber of patients in the emergency department who have been admitted and are waiting for an in-patient bed has also increased from a daily average of 19 per day pre-pan- demic to a daily average of 42 per day across the ‘three emergency departments," said Jickling. What higher patient n numbers and low- er staffing m r Ontario's hospitals can ee pea in in the: Soy ofIdalina Lima Matias who responded online to Hal- ton Healthcare’ 's Facebook post. “Two weeks ago, I ended upin the ER on a Thursday afternoon and the waiting room was packed. There was one lovely patient nurse taking blood for all those pa- tients, working swiftly, efficiently and pa- tient with her patients," wrote Matias. ly heart went out to her as her plate was full I would be surprised if she had time to go to the bathroom. Unfortunately, we were there for 11 hours — not due to the staff but the lack of staff. Our health-care get back, get back, get back To where you once belonged psst... Elvis has been sighted in Vinyland Daniel Banko photo A medical professional tends to a patient at a local hospital, which has been strained by a nursing shortage and high volume of patients. system needs help." When it comes to fixing the problem thisisa vincial and national issue that willreauire asystem response. In the meantime, she said Halton Healthcare is doing all it can to find more staff, including leveraging programs to in- grate internationally educated nurses as well as novice and pre-licensure practitio- ners (nursing students and students from. other health disciplines) through Minist of Health sponsored initiatives. Jickling also noted enhanced training for nurses is ongoing so they can work in specialty areas, including critical care, the operating room and the emergency de- partment. e “To address patient capacity pressures, we have implemented an innovative re- mote monitoring pro} 7 rogram supports the early discharge of patients home where they are provided with Blue- tooth enabled, physiological monitoring devices connected to a virtual care team tho monitors and supports them through T shirts are big here also medium, large and xl WHERE THE MUSIC NEVER ENDS (Cfohrela Zine WH UONEH - dl CUL | 2 their recovery," said Jickling. “This. has been an important strategy t Healthcare's emergency department busy, as of Aug. 2, ithasnot been necessary s xy to close any of them completely. 8 That said, she pointed out people with less serious health concerns should con- sider all of the health-care options avail- able in the community. This might include calling a family doc- tor, talking toa pharmacist or going toan urgent care centre or wé “Telehealth Ontario is ako an an “option where people can speak to a registered nurse 24 hours a day, seven days a week," said McDonell. isked what the province is doing to relieve the pressure in Ontario's emer- gency departments, Oakville MPP Ste- phen Crawford said the province has built unprecedented hospital capacity since the start of the pandemic, including a $5.1-bil- lion investment to build 3,500 beds across the " Drovince. fe also said the province is offering cash incentives to nurses, recruited and trained more than 5,000 nurses and regis- tered practical nurses and 8,000 personal support workers and will add hundreds of medical school positions over the next five ears. “We will continue to work with the health-care sector to ensure Ontarians can continue to count on the care they need and deserve," said Crawford. STORY BEHIND THE STORY: With local hospitals reporting their emergency departments are under extreme pressure, we wanted to talk to local health-c officials to determine exactly what t that means and how the problem is being dealt with. 43 MILL STREET EAST ACTON \. 519-853-4444 [] VINYLAND45@GMAIL.COM @ WWW.VINYLAND45.COM © & en