WINDSOR, ON. _ Windsor Regional Hospital is continuing to experience higher than normal patient volumes, which contribute to off-load delays for local paramedics and most importantly, delay our ability to admit patients into our hospital from our emergency departments.
These challenges continue to strain our staff despite having close to 60 more acute care beds today than WRH had prior to COVID-19, as well as some 400 additional front-line clinical staff.
In order to provide context to the conversation in the wake of a declaration of emergency today by the Warden of Essex County and Essex-Windsor EMS, please note the following statistics which provide a snapshot of our current patient volumes and challenges as of 9:45 am today (Monday, October 17, 2022):
The occupancy level for medical/surgical patients at our Ouellette Campus is at 106%
The occupancy level for medical/surgical patients at our Met Campus is at 107%
There are 44 patients in our Emergency Departments who have been admitted to hospital but waiting for an inpatient bed to become available (22 at Ouellette Campus and 20 at Met Campus)
There are a total of 42 Alternate Level of care (ALC) patients in hospital (14 at Ouellette Campus and 28 at Met Campus). Of the 42 ALC, 27 are awaiting a LTC bed to become available.
WRH is anticipating additional patient volumes as flu season and any resurgence in COVID-19 cases arise this Fall. We continue to work with our local partners to address recent challenges regarding patient volumes as best we can. In the meantime, patients and families should continue to anticipate longer than normal wait times for non-emergency cases. We also ask that patients and visitors understand and be considerate of frontline staff are doing their best to address high patient volumes.
If you are experiencing a critical and/or life threatening situation you will be prioritized and seen immediately. We ask that those not experiencing a medical emergency consider consulting with a family physician, visiting a nearby urgent care clinic or walk-in clinic, or call Health Connect Ontario at 811 to speak with a registered nurse (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
There is a problem every day because you have limited staff to begin with. If staffing is needed, provide full time positions with benefits. It doesn’t take rocket scientists to figure out why there isn’t staff. Could the management staff stay and provide for their families working two different jobs to equate to almost full time pay and do it all without benefits?
Staff has endured two years of stress and crap from everyone for over two years. No increase in wages to speak of either? Please consider changing the bottom line,then nurses for one would come in work in their own communities versus driving across the border!!