GERALDTON-- With some Ontario hospitals forced to temporarily close emergency departments as a result of nurse and doctor shortages, hospitals like Geraldton District Hospital, have issued notices clarifying their current Emergency Department (ED) situation.
Geraldton General Hospital acknowledged that they are aware of the news article regarding a potential ED closure in Geraldton due to a physician shortage.
In light of this, Geraldton hospital CEO Darryl Galusha offered this statement, “Although our physician staffing levels are very dire for both permanent and locum physicians, we have been able to fill our physician coverage gaps for the summer. Unless there are any unexpected or extenuating circumstances, there are no ER closures or service limits this summer in Geraldton,” said Galusha.
When asked if there are any current staffing concerns for Geraldton General Hospital ER services, the CEO spoke about the fact that the hospital is exploring the use of Nurse Practitioners. “We have vacancies for permanent and locum physicians that we are struggling to fill. With the full support of our Board of Directors, we have been exploring innovative solutions to make our hospital more attractive to physicians, including the use of Nurse Practitioners in the ER, which have reduced physician workloads and improve their work-life-balance,” said Galusha.
In addition, he shared that they have been successful in recruiting and retaining RN’s. The hospital CEO explained how they are contracting RNs as mentors for newly graduated nurses. Galusha stated that, “We have been successful in the recruitment and retention of Registered Nurses, (RN), we have very few vacancies for RNs. We are challenged with finding a balanced mix of experienced and newly graduated. We have contracted experienced Registered Nurses to assist in the mentoring and training of recent graduates within our organization.”
Geraldton District Hospital CEO, commented about other pressing concerns faced by hospital staff, including increased workloads, the risk of workplace violence, and workplace burn-out; a concern which has been voiced throughout the entire Canadian health care system, and across the country.
Galusha added that they are grateful for the hard work and dedication of hospital staff, who have been working extremely hard, especially during the past two years.
“It is extremely important to recognize the hard work and dedication of all our staff that have been working exceptionally hard throughout the last two years. Everyday they are dealing with increases workloads, and the risk of workplace violence, and they’re burnt out. That’s a concern across the entirety of the health care system, not just in Geraldton or Northern Ontario,” stated Galusha.
Canadians are learning about how some Ontario hospitals have already been forced to close emergency departments as a result staff shortages and staff burnout.
Consequently, the Ontario party leaders, including interim Ontario NDP leader, Peter Tabuns, wants Premier Doug Ford to take action and prioritize health care hiring.
In his own recent news release, Tabuns highlighted several key issues affecting the ability for hospitals to keep emergency departments and urgent care centers open, and offers the Premier suggestions as to how to address these issues.
Tabuns states that, “Health care professionals are exhausted, their colleagues are leaving constantly and we are reaching the point where there aren’t enough people to keep the doors to the ER open around the clock--and that’s terrifying.”
As interim leader, both he and the NDP party is calling for solutions to the health staffing and wait times crisis, including:
- Amending the provincial budget to include funding for a major effort to recruit, train, retain and return nurses, doctors and PSWs
- Scrapping Bill 124 right now and paying health care professionals a decent wage
- Expediting recognition of credentials for thousands of internationally educated nurses and doctors
- Increasing hospital budgets so there can be enough staff on every shift to prevent burnout
Prioritizing health care and hiring health care professionals to address these current issues affecting the ability for health care and hospitals to do their job is a concern that many Canadians, nurses, physicians and individuals like Geraldton CEO, Darryl Galusha have, both locally, provincially and nationally. In fact, just recently CUPE Ontario president Fred Hahn, called for Premier Ford to repeal Bill-124, as well.