Only one health trust has established several permanent intensive care units after the pandemic broke out. But many are working to train new intensive care nurses.
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When the pandemic came to Norway in March 2020, there were several advocates that the Norwegian health service must be equipped – especially in the form of more intensive care units.
Operating an intensive care unit requires a lot of specialized equipment – but especially specialized intensive care nurses with experience.
Among other things, the Norwegian Medical Association has described the closure of Norway in 119 intensive care patients, as illustrative of how bad it is in the Norwegian health care system. Hospitals that Ahus has warned about the capacity of them in many years.
Despite this: Almost none of the health trusts VG has been in contact with have been equipped with new, permanent intensive care beds. This means that the normalized intensive capacity is almost the same as it was before the pandemic.
– The intensive care nurses at UNN tell about one particularly pressured everyday where they will soon have to take down planned surgery. Employees at several emergency rooms sounds the alarm about high demand, too high workload and full bedposts. Are Norwegian hospitals run with too small a margin, as several employees claim?
– It makes an impression. Our professionals have been around for a long time now. I have a great understanding of the workload, but there are many processes that take place and which we will take the initiative so that the intensive care nurses get better working conditions, says Minister of Health Ingvild Kjerkol (Labor) to VG.
– We have said in the Hurdal platform that the government will increase the intensive capacity and review the financing of the emergency preparedness functions in the hospitals, she further answers.
When needed
On Oslo University Hospital they have no permanent increase, but adapt to the need with more measures. The same goes for Ahus – who has ten permanent intensive care units. However, they hope to increase this number if they hire enough staff.
I Health Stavanger there are eight intensive care beds – the same level as before March 2020. I Health Førde they still stand with two intensive beds. Health Fonna also has the same level as before the pandemic.
–Østfold Hospital, where the employees at the emergency room at Kalnes shouts warning of full corridors, dismissals and increased sick leave, is also among the health trusts that have the same number of intensive care units as before the pandemic. They currently have 18 educational positions for further education as an intensive care nurse.
Innlandet Hospital has employed several intensive care nurses. They increase the number of intensive care beds as needed, but have not established more permanent places. Also Helgeland Hospital has employed several intensive care nurses. Sørlandet Hospital increases capacity as needed.
Telemark Hospital have the same capacity as they had before the pandemic came in 2020. The same applies Vestfold Hospital and Health Møre og Romsdal.
Nordland Hospital has established six permanent intensive care units – in contrast to the five they had before the pandemic. But at the moment they only have staff for five intensive beds. Finnmark Hospital has equipped with equipment, but has not increased capacity.
Three new beds
I Health Nord-Trøndelag, which includes the hospitals in Levanger and Namsos, they have trained a large number of employees and bought more respirators – but no more beds have been established. Also St. Olavs hospital has the same number of intensive care units as before the pandemic. This is due to a lack of intensive care nurses, says clinic manager Hilde Pleym.
The largest increase in the number of intensive care beds has occurred in Health Bergen, which includes Haukeland University Hospital and Voss Hospital. They have established three more permanent intensive care beds, as well as 14 new monitoring beds.
Several health trusts VG has spoken to report that they have not seen the effect of the many educational positions for intensive care nurses yet. Both The deacon’s home and Lovisenberg Diakonale hospital in Oslo states that they have increased the number of nurses who take further education.
– The 2018 figures show 8.5 intensive beds per 100,000 and we are far down OECD-listen. What level should we be at?
– In terms of the number of doctors and nurses per 1000 inhabitants, we are the highest of all OECD countries. In terms of intensive capacity, we are on a par with Denmark. At the same time, we have said that we want to increase capacity. At exactly what level the intensive care capacity should be at is a professional question and something that the health regions must answer, says Kjerkol.
Haraldsplass Diakonale Hospital has not responded to VG’s inquiries.
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