Laval hospital maternity ward halved for weekend as staff shortage stretches services thin
A Laval hospital has closed more than half the beds in its maternity ward this weekend because it doesn't have enough staff.
While there are many women ready to give birth, the staff shortage has pushed the Cité-de-la-Santé hospital in Laval to restrict capacity, leaving half of the 13 maternity beds out of commission.
Dr. Judy Morris, head of the Quebec Association of Emergency Room Physicians, says staffing across Quebec has been stretched thin, leaving gaps in specialized areas.
In the “[emergency room], ICU, maternity wards, these are areas where they need specialized personnel,” said Morris.
In the last month, emergency rooms across Quebec have been stretched well beyond capacity.
Morris says not enough has been done to address staff shortages in hospitals, especially among nurses.
“There's … a lack of personnel. That has a huge impact on care [and the] number of beds available,” she said.
What’s more, MUHC Nurse Naveed Hussain says there has been an influx of patients seeking care for health concerns long put off due to the pandemic.
Some, he says, don't need to be at the hospital, adding that the province should do more to strengthen other avenues to receive care and information.
“811, Info-Sante, the CLSCs: we need to empower these structures so people will call these places first and get the care they need.”
Hospitals, he said, should be “the last resort.”
Weeks ago, Health Minister Christian Dube called on medical clinics to increase their hours, and for family doctors to see more patients in person.
Morris says the province needs to deal, first and foremost, with the staffing crisis.
She says the province ought to give incentives for nurses to return to vacated positions, and to force private nursing agencies to fill more shifts.
Otherwise, some worry hospitals will be forced to close more beds in the months to come.
“I am worried,” said Hussain. “Do we see an end in sight?”
“Especially with the flu season coming up in the fall and winter,” he said, “and possibly another rise in COVID-19 cases due to variants.”
“Can we sustain as we go along?”
The Laval regional health authority says it has deployed a number of measures to make sure patients are well cared for at the Cité-de-la-Santé maternity ward.
Hospitals in neighbouring regions may be asked to take on patients, if necessary, it said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
Katy Perry's mom was fooled by AI images of the singer at the Met Gala
Katy Perry did not attend the Met Gala on Monday, but some of the singer’s fans – and even her mom – thought she did.