The brand new $24 million birthing unit at Notre-Dame Hospital is once again postponing its opening because there is a shortage of around twenty nurses to operate it, almost four years after the planned date.
The opening of the Family Birth Unit (UFN) will take place “at the latest” in February 2024, responded in writing the management of the Integrated University Health and Social Services Center (CIUSSS) of Center-Sud-de-l ‘Island of Montreal.
In principle, it was to be inaugurated on November 27. This is the third time that the CIUSSS has postponed the opening, which was initially scheduled for spring 2020. Since the pandemic, several problems have caused delays in the delivery of the unit and the recruitment of staff. The UFN includes 16 private rooms with bathroom and six neonatal cradles.
Courtesy (private source)
Staff shortage
The opening will, however, be “gradual and progressive”.
“We made this decision to ensure that we meet all the winning conditions to offer quality care to families and also remove pressure on the teams,” writes the communications department.
Brand new, the UFN still cannot carry out deliveries because it is missing “a little more” than 20 nurses and auxiliary nurses to keep it running, confirms the CIUSSS, which is in the recruitment period.
“For services to the population, it’s regrettable,” laments Denis Joubert, president of the local nurses’ union, affiliated with the Interprofessional Health Federation (FIQ). But, it’s better to wait than to have an incomplete team and have them stay overtime.”
“It’s brand new. It seems that it’s very beautiful,” he quips.
Management wants to offer attractive work shifts with 12-hour schedules, and two weekends off in three (rather than one in two). Despite this, recruitment is difficult. Nurses who had been hired and trained even left elsewhere.
“They wanted to work,” explains Mr. Joubert. Those who are there can’t wait for it to open.”
For several months, Notre-Dame Hospital has been offering pregnancy monitoring in an outpatient clinic. The UFN thought it would be able to deliver its patients at the end of November, but this third postponement will force 25 patients to give birth elsewhere by February.
“All people whose delivery was planned at the UFN were invited to communicate with their obstetrician to agree on their new birth plan,” writes the CIUSSS.
Pierre-Paul Poulin / Le Journal de Montréal / Agence QMI
Christmas holidays
The hospital’s operating theater is already struggling to provide all services due to a staff shortage. Because of the Christmas holidays, management feared they would not be able to offer surgical and childbirth services. According to the FIQ, a lack of anesthesiologists also contributes to the postponement of the opening of the UFN (due to cesarean sections).
For its part, the nurses’ union does not believe that the objective of next February is realistic.
“I have big doubts, I don’t see how they are going to do it,” underlines Mr. Joubert.
The UFN advocates the TARP approach, meaning that the woman remains in her room from the beginning to the end of her stay of a few days.
THE FAMILY BIRTH UNIT
- 16 private rooms with bathroom
- 1500 births per year
- Project of $24 million
- Project planned since 2017
Source: CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal