A lineup for ambulances and closed ICU beds paint a grim picture in Moncton
A video shared on social media of multiple parked ambulances waiting to unload patients at Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre in Moncton, N.B., are highlighting a bleak reality.
Officials say it is a direct response to multiple challenges within the hospital’s walls right now.
In a statement to CTV News, Dr. Natalie Banville Senior, the senior vice-president of Clinical Programs and Medical Affairs for Vitalité Health Network, said, in part, "limited access to primary care, hospitalization of patients awaiting admission to long-term care facilities, staff shortages and an increase in respiratory viruses are contributing to delays in our emergency departments."
She says the hospital is also reporting an outbreak of vancomycin-resistant enterococci, a bacteria resistant infection known as VRE, in the internal medicine and telemetry unit, which is exacerbating the problems.
“The public can do their part by avoiding emergency department visits for non-urgent problems and by adopting practices to prevent the transmission of infections,” added Banville Senior.
Christianna Williston, the director of communications and stakeholder relations with Ambulance New Brunswick, did confirm that 11 ambulances were parked outside of the emergency department at Georges Dumont on Tuesday at approximately 4 p.m.
“Seven of those ambulances were experiencing offload delays at that time,” said Williston in an email to CTV News. “Of the remaining four ambulances, three were at the emergency department for scheduled patient transfers, and the other ambulance was scheduled to pick up a patient to return them to a nursing home.”
She says, at the same time, there were three ambulances at The Moncton Hospital that were experiencing offload delays.
In response to the parked ambulances, New Brunswick’s Minister of Health Bruce Fitch said more should be on the road soon.
"I was in Campbellton, the EMT school is starting up there Jan. 1 [2023], well received within the community. It's going to free up paramedics to have more ambulances on the road,” he said in Fredericton on Wednesday.
“I also went to the school in Moncton, which is also going to have EMTs on the road, there's 20 people there who should be in the ambulances probably by the end of December."
Unfortunately, it is the tale of two hospitals in the city. Just streets away at The Moncton Hospital, recruiting challenges have forced ICU beds to close.
In a statement to CTV News, the executive director Christa Wheeler-Thorne said, in part, “we can confirm we have temporarily combined our Coronary Care and Neuro ICUs at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital (TMH). There are, collectively, 10 funded beds on these units, however the decision was recently made to temporarily close five of these beds as we navigate through these staffing challenges”
She adds that Horizon Health Network hasn’t had to create any temporary care spaces at this time and that teams are managing the current situation well.
“Horizon has a plan to recruit and retain health-care workers, including critical care staff, to our organization and we prioritize this each and every day,” she added.
However, the situation is leaving residents alarmed.
Right now, there is a New Brunswick Health Coalition rally planned for Dec. 16 in front of Champlain Place in Dieppe, N.B., with one main message for government -- spend more money on the health-care system.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.