The third wave of the coronavirus hits the Niort hospital head-on. “We have a fairly constant and rapid increase in the number of hospitalizations”, notes Dr Farnam Faranpour, head of emergency at Niort hospital. “In a short time, we received almost every day four-five patients. Before, we were on a rhythm of one to two people”.
Increase in beds in covid and intensive care units
Consequence, the white plan was triggered and the hospital had to increase the number of beds. The Covid unit has grown from 18 to 21 places. “We are thinking about being able to staff and increase to 24 beds”, says Farnam Faranpour. Capacity also increased in intensive care with a change from 18 to 21 places. “We have unfortunately stopped scheduled surgery activities”, explains the doctor.
In emergencies, the costs of the short-term hospitalization unit have been reduced. “We are dedicating six beds to Covid patients to take patients who have not yet fully needed to go to intensive care but who are close to going”. Others, less serious, can also be transferred to Saint-Maixent-l’Ecole where an eight-bed Covid unit was opened.
Car the services are almost full. This Friday, April 16, 18 people were hospitalized in the Covid unit. In intensive care, 19 beds are occupied, 12 of which are by Covid patients. The previous week two patients were transferred, one to Saintes in Charente-Maritime and a patient from the CHNDS in Cholet in Maine-et-Loire to relieve the hospital of Niort.
Reminder of staff on their leave
But to make these services work, we need staff. “We come to a point where even our staff is not enough”, indicates the head of emergencies. Some were recalled on their leave. “The worry is that if it increases further we could have at some point a staff exhaustion and not have enough people”, alert the doctor. Reinforcements have been requested at the Regional Health Agency.
Dr Farnam Faranpour hopes to reach the peak and the numbers will come back down but for now “with the type of re-containment that there is today we have not yet felt a slowdown in activity”.
–
