Ontario will need public health measures to protect hospitals from patient surges because of staffing shortages, science table says
Ontario will need to use public health measures to “mitigate influxes” of critically ill patients over the coming months and protect a healthcare system that is now struggling with “worsening staffing shortages” and “worker burnout,” a new report prepared by the group of scientists advising the Ford government argues.
The report from Ontario’s Science Table says that while the province has been able to accommodate past patient surges without having to turn to a triage system to ration critical care resources, it likely now “lacks the capacity” to accommodate the sort of uptick in hospitalizations it saw during the third wave of the pandemic this past spring when as many as 940 COVID-19 patients were in intensive care units simultaneously.
The scientists say that in addition to a “shortage of critical care nurses and staff” that has worsened through successive waves of the pandemic, hospitals may be less able to achieve “significant reductions in surgical and procedural activity” amid a “growing care-deficit.”
They also say that the “complete absence of influenza transmission” during the 2020-2021 flu season is unlikely to repeat itself this year, lending additional “uncertainty” to the healthcare system’s ability to withstand future waves of the pandemic.
“Going forward, it may be more challenging for the critical care system to rapidly increase capacity as it did during the height of Wave 3 due to staffing shortages, healthcare worker burnout, and a desire to preserve non-COVID clinical activity,” the report states. “It is imperative that public health measures that help to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2 as well as other infectious diseases with the potential to burden the healthcare system, including influenza, are in place over the coming months.”
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore told reporters on Monday that he doesn’t anticipate introducing additional health measures at this time, even in the face of increasing concerns about the Omricon variant.
But the report from the science table says that it is “imperative” that public health measures that help to reduce transmission of COVID-19 be put in place for the winter months.
The scientists argue that there is now a “growing staffing shortages in critical care units” where nurse vacancy rates now exceed nine percent, up from 5.8 per cent prior to the pandemic.
They also say that Ontario hospitals could risk further exacerbating the staffing shortages by turning to some of the same strategies utilized during previous waves, such as giving nurses additional patients and redeploying acute care nurses from other areas of the hospital.
“Burnout has likely contributed to this staffing shortage,” the report notes. “Nurses in particular have been at increased risk for burnout during the pandemic for a variety of reasons, including heighted anxiety about risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 at work, an increase in patient acuity, increasing demands for overtime, reassignment to unfamiliar roles, and sustained exposure to the moral distress associated with caring for patients with COVID-19.”
The science table says that 9,096 Ontarians with COVID-19 were admitted to intensive care units between March 20, 2020 and October 31, 2021. They say that at the peak of the third wave the number of ICU patients on ventilators was at 180 per cent of the pre-pandemic norm.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.