Healthcare workers are seeing a rapid increase in traffic to hospitals in Quebec, where the emergency room situation is getting worse and could get even worse.
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This is the observation of Dr. Marc-André Dugas, head of the pediatrics department of the CHUL de Québec.
Dr. Dugas recalls that viruses move from west to east and that the critical situation in Montreal hospitals is therefore to be seized in Quebec.
“Usually this pressure starts after the holiday season. We start having pressure in December. In January, February, March, the respiratory virus activity peaks, then the pressure decreases in April and May. Currently what we see is that the activity is really important from the end of September,” explains Dr. Dugas.
To prepare for the dreaded wave, the hospital is multiplying its initiatives.
“We are preparing to open additional units if needed. For example, we prepare ourselves by transforming the pediatric rooms to modulate them so as to be able to provide intermediate care. So let’s increase our bed capacity, double our rooms: put two patients in the same room to guarantee access to all patients who need it,” lists Dr. Dugas.
The situation worries several parents, including this mother who has seen her children hospitalized as an emergency.
“My two sons went into respiratory arrest at home. They left by ambulance for the CHUL, which is behind me. We still don’t know what’s going on. The paramedics might think it’s RSV,” she explains.
Annica Champagne is concerned about the impact of these respiratory viruses, which have also reached those around her.
“I have a five month old, who is currently back at CHUL, and an 18 month old. They are extremely young. Children fall, it makes no sense. Now I have friends with two-month-old babies, they were hospitalized for two and a half weeks, ”she complains.
The strain in the emergency room adds to the burden of already struggling healthcare workers who have to work more overtime.
“The situation is a bit out of control. Lots of kids, rooms lined up. There are not many places left to receive other small children. It wouldn’t work if people didn’t work overtime. It is certain, there is a lack of personnel ”, explains Nancy Hogan, president of the Interprofessional Union of the CHU of Quebec.
To decongest emergencies, the Quebec government has put a page online to better direct citizens to the right resources. CHU de Québec will share information this week to ensure parents of sick children can be directed to the right place to care for their young children.
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