Quebec hospitals are preparing to face a difficult weekend which could even prove, according to the government, “the hardest” of the pandemic. To cope with this wave of patients, various measures are being put in place by health establishments.
At Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, nurses are dreading the coming weekend, according to Denis Cloutier, president of the Union of Care Professionals of the East-of-the-Island-of-Montreal-FIQ. Friday afternoon, 89 patients were on stretchers in the emergency room.
“The concern is that there are so many cases of COVID coming to the emergency room that girls are afraid that they will no longer be able to respect the rules for isolating patients who are positive or suspected of being positive. , explains Denis Cloutier. The upstairs COVID beds are almost all occupied. »
The union fears a lot of mandatory overtime on night shifts this weekend, due to staff shortages. “Many employees are waiting for a return of the “COVID line” to find out whether their isolation has been lifted or not, says Denis Cloutier. It’s a bit chaotic in terms of planning. »
In an attempt to have enough staff this weekend, the CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal has already implemented the retention and attraction measures announced by Quebec on Thursday. Since Friday 4 p.m., the health establishment has offered double-rate compensation to employees who work overtime. “Even if the ministerial decree [incluant cette mesure] is still not published, specifies Denis Cloutier. They [CIUSSS] demonstrate initiative and adjust to the urgency of the situation. The union welcomes this decision. “We’re not used to seeing that on the network! said Denis Cloutier.
At the CISSS des Laurentides, double-rate remuneration is also in effect, according to the Union of workers of the Laurentians in health and social services, affiliated with the CSN. The measure is already taking effect, says the union’s communications manager, Valérie Lapensée.
At the Saint-Eustache hospital, the shifts of the beneficiary attendants scheduled for the schedule from Saturday to Monday (inclusive) are for the most part filled, she cites as an example. Obviously, absences could be added the same day. “Of course the double time is an incentive,” says Valérie Lapensée. Even if everyone is tired, there are some who need money. »
To increase their hospital capacity, hospitals in the Laurentians have also transformed single rooms into double rooms. “That’s quite correct,” said the D.r Simon-Pierre Landry, who practices in the emergency department of the Laurentian Hospital in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts. It’s better that patients are in the corridors in the emergency room. »
The CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale has opened 60 beds in CHSLDs for patients positive or negative for COVID-19 who no longer require acute care in the hospital and are waiting for a place in a living environment, indicates the Dr Pascal Renaud, who practices in the emergency department of the CHU de Québec. “The CIUSSS is preparing to open 30 beds at the Le Concorde hotel by Monday to accommodate patients who do not have COVID, but who do not currently have places in CHSLDs,” he adds. . The president of the Association of General Practitioners of Quebec points out that family doctors will take care of the transferred patients.
At the CIUSSS de l’Estrie, professionals, managers and doctors have been asked for reinforcements in the field to support the teams this weekend. “Already this morning, there were around fifty people who had accepted,” wrote the CIUSSS in an email. The same strategy was used last week.
Stage 4
The CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, responsible for Hôpital Notre-Dame and Hôpital de Verdun, for its part set in motion its stage 4 load shedding plan on Friday, as other health institutions have already done so. Surgical activities could reach up to 25% of normal. Those in endoscopy will also be reduced, indicates CIUSSS spokesperson Jean-Nicolas Aubé.
“We are going to reassign nurses from outpatient clinics to hospitals to lend a hand,” he continues. There will be fewer regular follow-ups by doctors in FMGs and FMG-Us. However, no load shedding is planned for the intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder or physical disability program. As for the youth program, only dental hygienists will be reassigned, reports the CIUSSS.
The health establishment, which is understaffed, invites the population interested in lending a hand to register on the Je contribu platform.