By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
Even a specially funded ambulance offload nurse at Northumberland Hills Hospital could only do so much in December and January when hospital occupancy rates were 125 to 130%.
In the report President and Chief Executive Officer Susan Walsh delivered at the NHH board meeting last week, she said it had reached “a critical point where you have to look at some really unconventional spaces.”
One of the challenges was the COVID-19 outbreak in first-floor units that ran from Dec. 17 through Jan. 6, challenging a hospital that was already operating at above-capacity levels in both inpatient and Emergency Department areas.
Though the hospital had finite space, they looked at staffing strategies. The Senior Leadership Team approved a temporary overtime incentive program for a limited time, applicable to all unionized staff as well as non-union, non-leadership roles throughout the organization.
Walsh extended the thanks of NHH to all partners for their understanding, “and particularly patients and families for their patience as we work to meet the needs of our community.”
