Illness led to a nursing staff shortage, the hospital announced Tuesday afternoon
A nursing staff shortage because of illness led to the temporary closure of the emergency department of the Almonte General Hospital Tuesday evening.
Closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday, the unit was expected to reopen at 7 a.m Wednesday, a late-afternoon media release said, adding that the rest of the hospital remained open and was continuing patient care.
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“Patient and staff safety is our main priority,” Mary Wilson Trider, the hospital’s CEO, said in the release.
“Our dedicated teams at both Almonte General Hospital and Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital continue to work to ensure we have the necessary staff to support our community with their health-care needs. We are closely supported by our team at the Lanark County Paramedic Service.”
Anyone in the area requiring immediate medical attention was advised to call 911. Paramedics were to take such individuals to the nearest emergency departments for care.
Those would include the Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital, approximately 13 kilometres from Almonte; Arnprior Regional Health, 33 kilometres; Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital, 46 kilometres; and Queensway-Carleton Hospital in Ottawa, 39 kilometres.
Wednesday’s announcement noted that patients could also speak with a registered nurse at Telehealth Ontario by calling, toll-free, 1-866-797-0000 or teletypewriter (TTY) 1-866-797-0007. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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