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Source: https://www.onlineathens.com/story/...verloaded-new-surge-delta-variant/8110468002/
Already understaffed, Georgia hospitals swamped by latest COVID-19 surge
Andy Miller
Georgia Health News
Across Georgia on Wednesday, dozens of hospitals were reporting severe ER crowding and various forms of “diversion” - sending patients elsewhere due to capacity problems.
The Delta variant of COVID-19, sweeping through the state, is rapidly increasing case numbers and hospitalizations.
But exacerbating the current patient crunch is the ever-worsening shortage of health care workers in the state, especially nurses. Those shortages are hamstringing the ability of hospitals to respond to the medical crisis.
The nursing shortage in the state is worse than ever, Matt Caseman, CEO of the Georgia Nurses Association, said Wednesday.
Many of the RNs who remain in hospital jobs - working their fourth COVID surge - "are depressed, angry, frustrated,’ ’he said. "We’re hearing they can’t take it anymore."
Many nurses have left hospital work during the pandemic, taking jobs in clinics, shifting to temp positions or simply retiring, Caseman said. Hospitals are doing what they can to ease stress on workers, he said, "but in these situations, you can only do so much."
The anger of nurses, Caseman said, stems from having to deal with another COVID spike, plus their reaction to the still substantial number of Georgians who are unvaccinated - more than half the state’s residents.
In rural Georgia, "we've got beds sitting idle and no staff to support them," said Jimmy Lewis, CEO of HomeTown Health, an organization of rural hospitals in the state. "We have major shortages of nursing and other care staff.’
"This is an ongoing problem,’ ’he added. "We don’t have a way to speed up the availability of nurses."...
Already understaffed, Georgia hospitals swamped by latest COVID-19 surge
Andy Miller
Georgia Health News
Across Georgia on Wednesday, dozens of hospitals were reporting severe ER crowding and various forms of “diversion” - sending patients elsewhere due to capacity problems.
The Delta variant of COVID-19, sweeping through the state, is rapidly increasing case numbers and hospitalizations.
But exacerbating the current patient crunch is the ever-worsening shortage of health care workers in the state, especially nurses. Those shortages are hamstringing the ability of hospitals to respond to the medical crisis.
The nursing shortage in the state is worse than ever, Matt Caseman, CEO of the Georgia Nurses Association, said Wednesday.
Many of the RNs who remain in hospital jobs - working their fourth COVID surge - "are depressed, angry, frustrated,’ ’he said. "We’re hearing they can’t take it anymore."
Many nurses have left hospital work during the pandemic, taking jobs in clinics, shifting to temp positions or simply retiring, Caseman said. Hospitals are doing what they can to ease stress on workers, he said, "but in these situations, you can only do so much."
The anger of nurses, Caseman said, stems from having to deal with another COVID spike, plus their reaction to the still substantial number of Georgians who are unvaccinated - more than half the state’s residents.
In rural Georgia, "we've got beds sitting idle and no staff to support them," said Jimmy Lewis, CEO of HomeTown Health, an organization of rural hospitals in the state. "We have major shortages of nursing and other care staff.’
"This is an ongoing problem,’ ’he added. "We don’t have a way to speed up the availability of nurses."...