The wait list for cardiac surgeries in Manitoba has nearly doubled over the last few months, leaving many patients in need waiting longer.
“We had a comment from one of the physicians, one of the surgeons who said, ‘You show up at the hospital for your surgery, which you’ve planned your life around, your family’s planned their life around, you’re told there’s no bed or there’s no nurse, and come back in a week,’” said Darlene Jackson, president of the Manitoba Nurses Union.
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority said there are more than 100 people waiting for heart surgery at St. Boniface Hospital, which is nearly double the average.
The current wait times vary depending on the need, with emergent/urgent patients waiting on average six days, semi-urgent clocking 19, and elective surgery patients waiting around 68 days.
The WRHA said in December and January 100 per cent of all surgeries in those three levels were completed within national benchmark times.
Krista Williams with the WRHA says the list has been growing over the last few months in part due to a critical care nursing shortage.
“Recruitment is very challenging in cardiac sciences,” said Williams. “This is a highly specialized and skilled area, and it requires a special skill of nursing expertise and also interest in that area.”
Nurses in the cardiac unit, or any other intensive care unit, go through a special six month training program called the Winnipeg Critical Care Nursing Education Program.
Williams said because of the current shortages, surgeries have had to be cancelled and then rescheduled.
“People who need surgery, we ensure that they get the surgery that they need, and we balance that with their medical need, their urgency of their case, and their fitness to be able to have the surgery completed,” said Williams.
Health Minister Cameron Friesen said cardiac wait times have always had ebbs and flows.
“I understand that while there are vacancies in that area, it is not out of scope with historical vacancies that we’ve seen there,” said Friesen.
While the wait is higher than Friesen said he’d like to see, it’s not the worst it’s ever been.
Data from the WRHA shows in the summer of 2014, for instance, more than 140 people were on the list.
While the shortage is affecting patients, Jackson said it’s also hitting front line workers.
“We do know that year over year from 2017 to the end of 2018, that in the cardiac sciences at St. Boniface, we know that overtime has gone up by 75 per cent,” said Jackson.
Williams said 12 of the 33 graduates from the most recent critical care nursing program have been hired in the cardiac sciences unit at St. Boniface, though even with the new recruits there will still be some vacancies.
As for those slated for cardiac surgery this week, Williams said there are enough nurses on staff to cover the current schedule.
