As many Nova Scotians put together for a protracted weekend, Nova Scotia Well being is warning residents they’ll possible face lengthy wait occasions for ambulances and in hospital emergency rooms in the event that they want medical care.
The well being authority stated Friday that hospitals in all 4 zones are nonetheless seeing important site visitors and staffing challenges heading into the Natal Day weekend.
“That is affecting our potential to supply well timed care,” stated Nova Scotia Well being in a information launch.
“We anticipate sufferers will proceed to expertise longer than standard waits for care in emergency departments and for admission from emergency departments into hospital beds.”
Nova Scotia Well being warned that the challenges at hospitals will possible result in important delays in offloading sufferers from ambulances, which is able to in flip have an effect on ambulance response occasions.
“In consequence paramedic crews could take longer to reach on scene in response to 911 calls,” cautioned the well being authority.
Regardless of the issues, if somebody is experiencing a medical emergency, Nova Scotia Well being stated they need to not hesitate to name 911 or go to their nearest emergency division.
“Nova Scotia Well being apologizes for the elevated wait occasions in emergency departments and the impacts of those excessive calls for for providers on different sufferers and our well being care suppliers,” stated the well being authority.
“We all know these previous two years have been very troublesome for everybody and we proceed to ask quite a lot of our employees and physicians.”
The well being authority additionally famous there have been quite a few instances of employees members coping with abusive conduct and language, together with private threats, from individuals ready for care.
“This isn’t acceptable and is including to our staffing recruitment and retention challenges,” it added.
“Please be sort and know we’re right here to assist.”
Hospitals throughout the Maritimes have been reporting power employees shortages within the health-care sector, forcing some emergency rooms to shut at occasions.
Poor working circumstances, unreasonable workloads, summer season holidays, COVID-19 hospitalizations and isolation necessities, and a scarcity of household docs have all been cited as causes for the shortages.