Emergency department in B.C. Interior temporarily closes due to staff shortage
Another B.C. emergency department was forced to temporarily close due to a staffing shortage.
Interior Health posted a notice Sunday saying the Ashcroft Hospital and Community Health Care Centre had to close early on the weekend.
The emergency department normally operates only on the weekends from Fridays at 6 p.m. to Mondays at 8 a.m., but because of "limited staffing availability," the department closed at midnight Sunday. It's expected to reopen for its regular hours on Friday.
"Interior Health regrets this temporary change to normal operations," Interior Health said in a statement.
Anyone who required emergency assistance was advised to call 911 or visit Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, which is about a one-hour drive from the Ashcroft hospital, or go to the Nicola Valley Hospital, which is about a 75-minute drive away.
The Nicola Valley Hospital, in Merritt, faced its own staffing shortages last week. On Tuesday, Interior Health said the hospital's emergency department had to close for more than 12 hours "due to an unforeseen limited physician availability."
The closures came as health-care facilities across the province are dealing with severe staffing shortages due to the spread of Omicron. Some health-care workers in B.C. are also no longer working due to a vaccine mandate, though it's unclear if the mandate impacted the recent closures.
Nurses have previously told CTV News they now work short-staffed nearly all the time, saying some of their biggest concerns are of their ability to care for patients at the standard to which they’ve been trained.
"You can imagine working in constant fear that somebody is going to die because you cannot get there to give them the care that they require," said Paula Leweke, a veteran nurse and nurse educator, earlier this month.
Ashcroft's hospital has faced ongoing closures over the past several months. Since October, there have been at least four temporary closures of the weekend emergency department.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Penny Daflos
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Mother's Day movies that pull at ALL the heartstrings
This Mother's Day Weekend, take a look at some of the most emotional movies inspired by moms.
Suspect sought after fatal slashing in downtown Toronto
Police are searching for a suspect in a homicide investigation after a man was slashed in downtown Toronto on Sunday.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.