Montfort will close overnight on Saturday and Sunday. The Carleton Place Hospital ER will be closed for a full 24 hours starting at 7 a.m. Saturday and reopening at 7 a.m. Sunday. Montfort called the closure “partial and temporary” because it will still see ambulances, but the last patients will be admitted at 7 p.m., before the hospital closes its doors to the public between 7:30 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. Residents seeking care will be asked to travel to the nearest alternate emergency room, a news release issued Friday said. The release states that the rest of the hospital’s operations will continue as normal with ongoing COVID-19 restrictions on patient bedside visits. Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital is closing its emergency room for 24 hours starting Saturday. (Google Street View) Carleton Place & District Hospital will staff the emergency room with one nurse and one doctor for those arriving unaware of the closure, a news release said. It directs those seeking urgent care to the nearest hospitals in Perth, Arnprior, Almonte and West Ottawa. He says the rest of the hospital is operating normally. Ambulances will take people to the nearest open hospital, but they also suggest prospective patients speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day by calling Telehealth Ontario.
The Nursing Association says closures are on the rise
Catherine Hoy, president of the Ontario Nurses Association, called the closure of Carleton Place Hospital “shocking.” “That’s in Ottawa. Yes, they have a big hospital center there, but they need all the emergencies open,” he told CBC’s All In A Day. The association estimated that 25 hospitals were closed over the weekend due to staff shortages. Hoy says it’s probably closer to 50 across the province now. He also cautioned that not all closures are announced. “It doesn’t sound like much, but when you add it up, these closures pop up. These closures mean surgeries can’t be done,” he said. Despite our best efforts, Montfort ED has to be partially and temporarily closed:– August 6 and 7– between 7:30 p.m. and 7:30 a.m.On Saturday and Sunday evening, we will receive the last patients around 7 pm.We remain open for ambulances.1/2 pic.twitter.com/QlqYJ2HQP3 —@hopitalmontfort
Reasons for closure
Montfort said he faces the same pressures as hospitals across the province and has felt the pressure keenly in recent weeks. He attributes hospital staff shortages to fatigue and burnout, absenteeism related to COVID-19 and vacations. “The decision to close the emergency department, even for a few hours, is not an easy one to make, but it must be made to ensure our team is able to provide excellent, safe and compassionate care,” the statement said. . He then apologizes to the patients for the inconvenience and thanks the hospital staff. Montfort declined CBC’s request for an interview. It’s not the first hospital in the Ottawa area to temporarily close its emergency rooms in recent weeks. Glengarry Memorial Hospital in Alexandria, Ont., closed for two weeks in July and was unable to fully reopen as planned, with partial closures continuing into August. Last month, Perth and Smith Falls Regional Hospital in Perth, Ont., closed the emergency department for several days following the outbreak of COVID-19 which caused staff shortages.
