Staff shortage has HSC emergency department calling for nurses
The emergency department at the Health Sciences Centre (HSC) is facing a staffing crunch over the next couple of days.
“This is a big issue and it's seems to be escalating and getting worse all the time," said MNU President Darlene Jackson.
Shared Health tells CTV News the ER department at HSC is projecting what it calls "staffing challenges" this weekend.
The Manitoba Nurses Union says the baseline for nurses in the emergency department at HSC is 24. President Darlene Jackson says the facility may be down to only eight nurses available for Friday night, two thirds below that base level.
"I think that the staff tonight are going to work very hard, probably with no breaks, and I believe the wait times are going to be very, very long tonight," said Jackson.
There is also a concern that many beds will be unavailable with that many nursing vacancies.
Shared Health did not provide numbers of how many beds may be unavailable or how many nurses the department may be short. But in a statement it did say the hospital is putting out a call for full and part-time nurses to fill shifts, asking those already working to do overtime, and reassigning critical care nurses to the emergency department.
"These efforts to fill shifts will continue throughout the weekend. However, we do anticipate there will be some impact to patient flow as well as longer wait times for lower-acuity patients. The public should be assured that the sickest and most injured patients continue to be prioritized upon arrival in our ED to ensure they get the care they need with zero to minimal wait.”
Shared Health also says these nurse vacancies mirror national trends and says the staffing issues are more of a problem this summer on weekends, particularly in the evenings and overnight.
The Manitoba Nurses Union says more nurses are leaving the public sector and going to private agencies for better pay and hours.
Shared Health says a number of initiatives are underway to recruit and retain nurses, including financial incentives.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's 'most wanted terrorist' arrested on gun charges in Canada
One of India's most wanted terrorists has been arrested and charged in connection with a recent alleged shooting in Ontario.
12-year-old boy charged in stabbing of 11-year-old boy at Edmonton McDonald's
The boy stabbed at a north Edmonton McDonald's last Friday is 11 years old.
What makes walking so great for your health and what else you need to do
Medical experts agree that walking is an easy way to improve physical and mental health, bolster fitness and prevent disease. While it’s not the only sort of exercise people should do, it’s a great first step toward a healthy life.
U.S. Congress hosts second round of UFO hearings
The U.S. government held another UFO hearing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, the second such hearing in 16 months. This hearing was billed as an attempt by congress to provide a better understanding of what is known about previous sightings of UFOs, also known as UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena).
Toronto teenager charged with first-degree murder in Kitchener, Ont. homicide
A Toronto teen has been charged as part of an investigation into Kitchener, Ont.’s first homicide of 2024.
Spy service officer denies threatening Montreal man who was later imprisoned in Sudan
A Canadian Security Intelligence Service official has denied threatening a Montreal man who was later imprisoned and allegedly tortured by authorities in Sudan.
Donald Trump picks Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general
President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said he will nominate Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as his attorney general, putting a loyalist in the role of the nation's top prosecutor.
This Canadian airline will adopt Apple's new AirTag feature to help recover lost baggage. Here's how
Apple announced that a new feature, 'Share Item Location,' will help users locate and recover misplaced items by sharing an AirTag location with third parties including airlines.
Canada bracing for 'tough' talks as Trump's pick calls northern border an 'extreme vulnerability'
The Canadian government is aware it's likely in for 'tough conversations' with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's administration, after his border czar said there is 'an extreme national security vulnerability' he intends to tackle at the Canada-U.S. border.