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Please keep in mind that the "code red" only applies to these specific hospitals, it is not the NZ national alert level.
Retired nurses asked to help at stretched hospitals
5:55PM Thursday July 19, 2007
Two Wellington hospitals have called on retired nurses to help out after a surge in winter illness forced them to declare 'Code Reds'.
Wellington Hospital and Kenepuru Community Hospital said said sickness had led to reduced staffing levels and increased demand for services.
It is not unusual for hospitals to issue a Code Red, but this was the first time the Capital & Coast District Health Board (DHB) had issued one in 2007, said Robyn Toomath, a director of clinical support services at the DHB.
"As of today we are around 20 nurses down compared to our usual staffing levels, primarily due to illness.
"We would be delighted to hear from any qualified nurses in the community who are between jobs, are on extended leave or are semi-retired, who might be able to help fill in, or to do some short term work for us," said Dr Toomath.
They should contact Steve Crew in the Patient Services Coordination Unit.
The hospitals can still cope with urgent cases, but less urgent cases may be in for a longer-than-usual wait. Some elective surgery is also being postponed.
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Dr Toomath said the problem was a combination of increased demand for services and decreased availability of staff to meet those demands.
"We have physical beds available, but we can't admit patients unless there are appropriate levels of staff to safely resource those beds."
The message to the public was ` `please save our Emergency Department for emergencies", she said.
Often a general practitioner could offer a quicker consultation without the need to attend hospital.
"We want to be able to focus our Emergency Department resources on patients who genuinely need hospital-level care."
If people had doubts they could call Healthline for free advice from a registered nurse. The Healthline toll-free number is 0800 611-116.
- NZPA
Call for help at Wellington Hospital
Jul 19, 2007
Wellington Hospital is asking any retired or out-of-work nurses to come forward to help cope with the winter rush.
The hospital has declared it is in 'code red' because of a nurse shortage.
Its emergency department can only cope with people requiring urgent care and there are long waits.
"At the moment we're 20 nurses down because the nurses, like everybody else in the community, are tired and they're getting sick," says Capital and Coast District Health Board spokesperson Dr Robyn Toomath.
"If there are nurses out there in the community who have a practicing certificate and would like to work a shift or two with us in Wellington Hospital, we'd love to hear from them".
The hospital's code red status also means some elective surgery is being postponed.
Retired nurses asked to help at stretched hospitals
5:55PM Thursday July 19, 2007
Two Wellington hospitals have called on retired nurses to help out after a surge in winter illness forced them to declare 'Code Reds'.
Wellington Hospital and Kenepuru Community Hospital said said sickness had led to reduced staffing levels and increased demand for services.
It is not unusual for hospitals to issue a Code Red, but this was the first time the Capital & Coast District Health Board (DHB) had issued one in 2007, said Robyn Toomath, a director of clinical support services at the DHB.
"As of today we are around 20 nurses down compared to our usual staffing levels, primarily due to illness.
"We would be delighted to hear from any qualified nurses in the community who are between jobs, are on extended leave or are semi-retired, who might be able to help fill in, or to do some short term work for us," said Dr Toomath.
They should contact Steve Crew in the Patient Services Coordination Unit.
The hospitals can still cope with urgent cases, but less urgent cases may be in for a longer-than-usual wait. Some elective surgery is also being postponed.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Dr Toomath said the problem was a combination of increased demand for services and decreased availability of staff to meet those demands.
"We have physical beds available, but we can't admit patients unless there are appropriate levels of staff to safely resource those beds."
The message to the public was ` `please save our Emergency Department for emergencies", she said.
Often a general practitioner could offer a quicker consultation without the need to attend hospital.
"We want to be able to focus our Emergency Department resources on patients who genuinely need hospital-level care."
If people had doubts they could call Healthline for free advice from a registered nurse. The Healthline toll-free number is 0800 611-116.
- NZPA
Call for help at Wellington Hospital
Jul 19, 2007
Wellington Hospital is asking any retired or out-of-work nurses to come forward to help cope with the winter rush.
The hospital has declared it is in 'code red' because of a nurse shortage.
Its emergency department can only cope with people requiring urgent care and there are long waits.
"At the moment we're 20 nurses down because the nurses, like everybody else in the community, are tired and they're getting sick," says Capital and Coast District Health Board spokesperson Dr Robyn Toomath.
"If there are nurses out there in the community who have a practicing certificate and would like to work a shift or two with us in Wellington Hospital, we'd love to hear from them".
The hospital's code red status also means some elective surgery is being postponed.
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