Overwhelmed by the pandemic onslaught, hospitals still face many challenges, causing unprecedented waiting times in emergency rooms across the country.
In addition to the limited beds and untreated surgery, the main cause of dysfunction was a shortage of doctors and nurses.
Many of the problems facing hospitals are not new, but experts say the pandemic exacerbated the situation and led to a crisis, and patients saw an emergency department closure at a nearby hospital. I'm starting to.
A long "long weekend" in the emergency room
On Saturday, the Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital (PSFDH) announced the closure of theemergency department until Thursday. did. The outbreak of COVID-19 is quoted. But the doctor says the real reason is the ongoing lack of staff.
"Yes, COVID caused the emergency department to close, but in reality it didn't incorporate the resilience of the nursing staff," Dr. Alan Dramondo told CTVNational News on Saturday. I did.
Dramondo said the PSFDH emergency room was reduced from 50 nurses to 5 and the unit became very thin.
"Someone needs to be held accountable for the fact that within a few months they lost 50% of their nursing staff and basically failed."
According to Drammond, PSFDH's catchment area is about 25,000 people in the large geographic area between Smiths Falls and Peterborough, and many patients travel long distances to go to the emergency department. Means to do.
Patients in urgent need should drive 20 kilometers from Perth to Smiths Falls.
"I don't think it's fair to people in this community," local resident John Hastings told CTV News on Saturday.
The town of Clinton, Ontariohad no emergency room during the long weekend of Canada Day. The emergency room at Clinton Public Hospital has announced that it will be closed from July 1st to 5th.
This marked the longest 24-hour closure of the Clinton Public Hospital emergency room.
Due to the shortage of doctors and nurses, Deborah Wiseman, Chief Nursing Officer of the Huron-Perth Health Alliance, said. We expect more service interruptions this summer.
"More things will be seen not only this weekend, but more in the future. For the next six months to several years, there will be a lack of human health care in both the fields of nursing and doctors. We are really struggling to maintain service, "Wiseman told CTV National News.
Wiseman said he is investigating everything to solve the shortage of health care workers and keep the emergency room open, including the use of emergency care in the emergency room. rice field.
Similar problems are occurring in other states. Quebec's six emergency departments will be partially closed this summer due to staff shortages, the state government announced Thursday.
Nova Scotia Health states that due to high weekend demand, long wait timesshould be expected in all four health zones.
"Unfortunately, we are currently experiencing what is called a" bed block ". There are a large number of inpatients here and there is no place to send them, "Dr. Margaret Fraser, MD, Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Sydney, Nova Scotia, told CTV National News on Saturday.
Bonnie Nan, a resident of Treherne, Manitoba, told CTV National News on Saturday that her daughter recently needed emergency treatment and had a Treherne emergency department, so she was about 45 separated from the portage. He said he had to take him to La Prairie. Closed due to lack of staff.
"I'm really angry, I'm angry at everything. I don't think I've thought enough about this," she said.
"I'm not angry with nurses. Dr. Catherine Smart, President of the Canadian Society of Internal Medicine, told CTV News Atlantic in May that doctors and nursesburnout. , Twice as much as before the pandemic
"Our healthcare system is at a level of crisis we've never actually seen, and healthcare professionals said Smart.
In a Junesurveypublished by the Canadian Society of Internal Medicine, 95% of healthcare professionals felt that pandemics had an impact on their mental health,
{60. } During the pandemic, healthcare professionals faced extended working hours, shorter vacations, and changes in the way care was provided.September-November 2021 when the survey was conducted. In the fourth wave of the pandemic up to, many healthcare professionals were retiring or trying to retire due to work stress or concerns about mental health.
"How to keep workers Elinor Kelly, a nurse at Harifax-based ICU, told CTV News Atlantic in May.
"Probably decent. I think it will help. Especially in the case of critical care nurses, there are many people who train and hire for critical care, but in about a year, I can go to work personally for three times the amount I earn in 27 years. You can. "
Dr. Paul Saba, a family doctor and chairman of the Hôpital de Lachine Medical Council in Montreal, said he wanted the government to make significant changes.
"Health care needs to be improved, and it's not a short-term election promise, it could be long-term for the next few years," he said on Saturday. I told the news.
Deena Zaidi and CTV News Atlantic files used