Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Labor Party) and Minister of Health Ingvild Kjerkol (Labor Party) visited Akershus University Hospital, Ahus, on Monday afternoon.
Employees at the hospital have previously told TV 2 that they are now tired, after several rounds of pressured capacity at Ahus.
Measures to deal with pressure
Øystein Mæland, CEO of Ahus, says that they have taken several measures to be able to handle patient pressure.
– We have had to reduce some of the operating capacity and planned surgery to free up personnel.
In addition to redeploying staff, they have rebuilt parts of the hospital.
The Prime Minister and the Minister of Health were given a tour of the former garage facility for the ambulances, which during the pandemic was converted into a patient room.
– It is especially our intensive monitoring areas that are under pressure, says Mæland.
– AT AHUS: Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Minister of Health and Care Services Ingvild Kjerkol visit Akershus University Hospital (Ahus) and are given a tour by department head Eirik Pettersen. Photo: Torstein Bøe
–
Especially with this wave
Mæland and head of the emergency department, Eirik Pettersen, says that this wave is especially hard for the employees.
– What is special about this wave is that the wear and tear on our employees is so great now. It is noticeably tougher, and many are tired, says Mæland.
– In the first wave we had a downgraded number of normal patients, now in the fourth wave the normal number of patients is in addition to coronary patients. It is demanding, says Pettersen.
Two intensive care nurses who were greeted by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health say that they found it difficult to reach out when the number of patients is higher than normal.
– We do not feel we have the capacity for all patients. Then there will be a lot of pressure on us who work here to ensure patient safety, says one of the intensive care nurses.
Was challenged on bandage requirements
Ole Kristian Fossum, section chief physician at the intensive care unit, expressed his frustration with the Minister of Health and asked for national measures on bandages.
– When the infection spreads to the hospital, we become desperate. Drop infection can help with bandages and it is a simple measure from our point of view from the inside, says Fossum.
– It is municipalities that have introduced orders and recommendations on the use of face masks. But we have not yet considered it an effective and proportionate measure nationally, Minister of Health Ingvild Kjerkol answers.
– But you did not follow the professional advice you received from the Norwegian Directorate of Health and NIPH about bandages nationally? Fossum asks further.
– There are orders and recommendations for face masks in several municipalities, but not nationally. If you apply it indoors, you have reintroduced the meter and it is intrusive. But we have it for consideration, says Kjerkol.
– He says he experiences the despair?
– I understand that well. And we are constantly looking for the right and proportionate measures, she says.
Fossum says he wants more from the government now, to be able to prevent further closure.
– We will take that with us, says Prime Minister Støre.
–
