Staff shortage | Two hospitals are diverting ambulances from their emergency

Two hospitals in the Montreal area have to divert ambulances from emergencies due to staffing and heavy traffic. “This is unheard of,” according to the Quebec Emergency Physicians Association.

Emily Plodio
Press

Ariane Lagorsier
Press

Both Saint-Eustach Hospital in the northern crown of Montreal and Surod Hospital in Montreal will have to drive ambulances to other hospitals in their region. Surat Hospital had to close its emergency room on Thursday for cases that were considered non-priority for a good part of the day. These reopened at 4 p.m.

“Despite all recent measures, the Integrated Health and Social Services Center (CISSS) in Montreux-Austin had to temporarily shut down emergency ambulance services,” one might read in a statement issued Thursday morning.

According to the Montreux-Austin (SPSMO) Union of Health Professionals, 10 nurses worked 16 consecutive hours on Wednesday to fill day and evening jobs. With the arrival of the night shift, the manpower shortage was even greater. Only 3 of the 14 nurses were on duty.

“Nurses cry for me because I have to say goodnight to their children through FaceTime for many evenings. […] Others were crying in disbelief that they might be asked to work more than 16 hours, ”said Melanie Gignok, president of SPSMO.

“Staff shortages are day, evening and night, seven days a week,” he adds.

M^Me Zignak says many nurses are tired of working overtime several times a week. Some people need to take the time to regain their strength. “Forced overtime has become a convenient activity for the employer. But it is a double-edged sword. We make employees tired. I find myself tired with mentally and physically ill health workers,” he says.

Dominic Pillon, director of hospital operations at Surat Hospital, spoke about the “difficult situation” in the CISS press release.

CISSSS recommends that patients visit their family physician, visit the Portail Sande or Rendez-Vos Sande Quebec site, or consult a pharmacist at the Surat emergency department. CISSS did not respond to our interview request.

“Small teams” in Saint-Eustach

CISSS des Laurentites confirmed that the emergency rooms of Saint-Eustace Hospital have been working with “small groups” since Friday. To assist staff, ambulances are diverted from Saint-Jerome, Argentina and sometimes to Laval over the weekend.

We have 12 nurses who unfortunately left [leur poste] In the last two weeks, for various reasons: immunization (pregnancy), health insurance, job accident and resignation

The pressure was also felt most strongly at St-Jerome Hospital, where on certain days this week, 50% of patients left the waiting room without seeing a doctor. Press.

Julie Denoid, president of the Laurentian Healthcare Professionals Union, said nurses are tired of working part-time and overtime and get medical tickets. “They divert ambulances to Saint-Jerome, but the situation there is not bad,” he said.^Me Campaign. Even there, there is a shortage of staff in the emergency room. Here, too, there is too much work. ”

“Crisis”

At the Quebec Emergency Physicians Association, President Judy Morris talks about the “crisis situation”. Ambulances are diverted from time to time. But what is worrying today is that we are closing the emergency, ”he said.

“We have the impression that we have more and more closures, and more often, for longer and longer. Closing the door to patients is unheard of,” D begins.^Re Morris fears that other emergencies will be temporarily shut down due to a shortage of nurses.

President of the Quebec Association of Emergency Medical Specialists, d^R. Gilbert Boucher explains that hospitals sometimes transport ambulances for short periods of time, usually two to four hours. “This is often due to lack of space in the resuscitation room or cardiac monitoring room,” he says.

D.^R. Boucher, however, notes that the condition of Surat Hospital is particularly worrying. The frightening thing is that the first emergency in Greater Montreal closes its outpatient room. It reflects our reality: we have no people. We have a shortage of nurses, ”says Dr.^R. Poucher.

As Surat Hospital temporarily diverts its ambulances, there will be consequences for Anna-Leberz Hospital and Lexhore Hospital in Chattanooga. As of yesterday afternoon, these two companies already had high occupancy rates in emergency rooms. The same story goes for St-Jerome Hospital, which receives an ambulance from St-Eustay Hospital.