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
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Body of Quebec man who died in Cuba found in Russia, family confirms
A Montreal-area family confirmed to CTV News that the body of their loved one who died while on vacation in Cuba is being repatriated to Canada after it was mistakenly sent to Russia.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Saskatchewan isn't remitting the carbon tax on home heating. Why isn't my province following suit?
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
RCMP officers had no legal authority to enter man's home, make arrest: B.C. court
A B.C. man has been found not guilty of assaulting two RCMP officers – with the court finding he was resisting an "unlawful entry and arrest" in his home before he was tasered, taken down and hauled away in handcuffs.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.