New Montreal clinic staffed by overtime nurses aims to ease ER pressures
A new clinic in Montreal’s east end celebrated its inauguration on Thursday. It’s staffed entirely by nurse practitioners clocking in on voluntary overtime with hopes the centre will relieve stress on nearby emergency rooms.
Staff at the brand-new CLSC Olivier Guimond spent the day preparing for their first patients. Manager Isabelle Besner-Leduc told CTV the clinic’s opening was long overdue.
“We needed it years ago, really,” she said.
When it’s fully up and running, the clinic should help to relieve pressures on the nearby Santa Cabrini and Masionneuve-Rosemont hospital ERs. On Thursday, both had occupancy rates at around 150 per cent.
Officials say, however, that a significant portion of people in ERs don’t need to be there, and could be better served in a clinic environment.
To become a patient at the Olivier Guimond, people first need to be referred to the clinic by a triage nurse or by 811.
“Nurse practitioners, because of their education, can diagnose illnesses,” said Lina Spagnolo, nursing director at the CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Ile-de-Montreal. “They can prescribe diagnostic tests -- for example, an ultrasound.”
“The big advantage we have is we can be independent and use the training we have without having to use a doctor,” said Besner-Leduc.
For now, all the nurses at the clinic have jobs elsewhere and volunteer to take additional shifts. The centre plans to hire three full-time practitioners in the coming weeks.
Two other clinics like Olivier Guimond will open elsewhere in Montreal – one in Verdun, and another near Notre-Dame Hospital.
Meanwhile, the province is also trying to ease ER crowding by boosting telehealth staff.
“We need roughly 5,000 nurses that could be helping on the phone explaining to patients that are calling what are the symptoms, should they stay home, should they go to a pharmacist, should they go to the emergency room,” said Health Minister Christian Dube.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Putin begins his fifth term as president, more in control of Russia than ever
Vladimir Putin began his fifth term Tuesday as Russian leader at a glittering Kremlin inauguration, setting out on another six years in office after destroying his political opponents, launching a devastating war in Ukraine and concentrating all power in his hands.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.