The Albert Schweitzer hospital in Dordrecht is struggling with a major shortage of specialized nurses in maternity care. The hospital asks women who are about to give birth to take into account the possibility that they will have to move to another hospital in the region.
The capacity problem in the neonatology department is related to an unusually high absenteeism rate, especially during the holiday period. As a result, the maximum number of beds cannot be used.
Wave of infections with RS virus
In addition, there is also a wave of infections with the RS-virus in newborn babies and young children. Normally, the peak of the virus is in the winter, but this year the virus only broke out after the corona measures were relaxed. As a result, the nursing wards are now full of children with respiratory problems and the pediatric nurses who work there are unable to assist in the neonatology ward, as would otherwise happen.
“At some moments, a premature baby can no longer reach it if we want to continue to provide safe care and of course we want that,” says gynecologist Bettina Akkerboom. According to a hospital spokesperson, a pregnant woman has therefore been transferred to another hospital five times in the past two weeks to give birth there.
Planned deliveries at the hospital birth center also occasionally have to be moved to another day due to hospital occupancy issues.
Great willingness to take over patients
According to director Diederik Zijderveld of the Albert Schweitzer hospital, the willingness of the thirteen other hospitals in the region to take over patients is great. “All of them recognize this same problem to a greater or lesser extent,” says Zijderveld.
There is a daily capacity meeting between the hospitals, where each hospital indicates the expected crowds and reports free space. “Conversely, it can also happen that we sometimes take over a delivery if the crowds are greater elsewhere.”
Zijderveld expects this method to remain necessary until the course of September.
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