The Fraser Health Authority is dealing with "unprecedented" crowding at Surrey Memorial Hospital, according to a memo obtained by CTV News.
The memo, marked "urgent," informs hospital staff that the facility is experiencing its "highest volumes ever" of patients in the ER needing admission or beds.
The memo also warns of "multiple infection outbreaks" across the hospital, including C. difficile, influenza, carbapenemase-producing enterobacteriaceae (CPE) and various respiratory outbreaks. It also addresses challenges in discharging patients from the hospital.
Fraser Health officials blamed what it called a “higher-than-normal volume” of traffic on a surge of influenza patients, with more than 500 people streaming into the ER in a single day.
“We have seen increased volumes at Surrey Memorial and some of the other hospitals. In fact, we’ve seen this across Canada as well,” said spokesman Ken Donohue. “It may mean that is someone has a less serious illness or injury, it may mean a little bit longer wait, but our staff are working really hard to see patients as soon as they can.”
Donohue said so far, the authority’s planning strategies have led to decreased volumes in the past day or so.
He also said that additional doctors and nurses were hired when the new emergency room opened in 2013.
But the president of the B.C. Nurses’ Union claimed that Fraser Health has not hired enough nurses to care for patients.
“I’m being advised that nurses have never experienced the working conditions they are today,” said Gayle Duteil. “This is not safe patient care…they have not hired enough nurses to care for the patients who are coming through their doors in droves at this time. This is winter surge for sure, but it happens every winter.”
Patients at the hospital are already noticing delays.
Jessica Mooney said she came to the ER with a friend earlier in the week, who she claimed waited up to nine hours to see a doctor.
“I think that’s a little bit insane,” she said. “Considering the severity of the causes and they don’t actually know what’s wrong with you yet.”
Jessica's father said he’s “seen nurses running themselves ragged around there” in his last few visits to the hospital.
“When you go inside there, it’s huge,” said Darryl Mooney. “It’s just understaffed. It’s unacceptable.”
The health authority has set up a command centre on site to help deal with the backlog, and said in the memo every patient in every unit "is being reviewed daily for potential discharge."
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Scott Roberts
A memo posted for staff at Surrey Memorial Hospital warning of overcrowding and infection outbreaks is shown. Jan. 17, 2015. (Fraser Health Authority)
