Prince Albert's Victoria Hospital provides a hub for patients from all over Northern Sask. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Health care shortages

Nurses’ Union and NDP raise concerns over capacity issues at Victoria Hospital

Nov 29, 2023 | 5:00 PM

The president of the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) says all corners of the province are being profoundly affected by the fact people can’t get proper health care.

Tracy Zambory made the remark on Wednesday, while speaking to 650 CKOM’s Evan Bray. She explained she was notified on Tuesday that the operating room at Prince Albert’s Victoria Hospital was shut down because the entire hospital was at 112 per cent over capacity.

“All the beds are full and then another huge percentage requires care that’s in the facility. So there isn’t enough room at the inn for everybody that is very sick,” she said.

According to a statement however provided to paNOW by the SHA, the operating room at the Victoria Union Hospital in Prince Albert is not closed and is in fact running at full capacity.

The statement went on to explain two elective surgeries at the hospital were deferred to accommodate nine emergency surgeries transferred to the facility from various locations throughout the North. The elective surgeries will be rescheduled as soon as possible.

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On Monday, a rally was held in Saskatoon, and participating nurses, while wiping away tears, discussed their personal experiences at Royal University Hospital. Zambory stated there’s also examples of rural health care facilities with emergency rooms that have had to go on bypass.

“Bypass means you can’t stop there. You can’t get care there in the emergency room because there isn’t enough registered nurses or other health care professionals.”

Going forward, SUN plans to set up a task force which will bring together nursing unions, legislators, educators and other stakeholders who will sit down and talk with registered nurses.

‘What can we do to change what’s happening in your work place to keep you,” Zambory said.

There’s also plans to build two urgent care centers in Saskatoon and Regina. Also speaking to Evan Bray on Wednesday, SHA COO Derek Miller said these care centers will help lessen the impact on emergency rooms throughout the province and be a place where people can have a wide-range of non-emergency needs met.

Response from the Opposition

Describing the capacity situation at Prince Albert’s Victoria Hospital as frightening, NDP Health Critic Matt Love said there’s been some very concerning stories coming from health care workers in the city including the use of hallway beds in the upper floors.

“Hallway medicine has very much become the norm in bigger centres like Saskatoon and Regina, and now it has made its way to Prince Albert,” he said.

With respect to the task force, Love said the NDP has been advocating for this and echoing the calls of nurses for months and months. And he said the Sask. Party government is accountable.

“If they want to find their way out of this, well nurses have a good idea. Sit down and talk, listen to the front line health care workers,” he said.

When asked about solutions, Love added there’s a lot of talk about recruitment but retention is just as important.

“Nurses want to have a seat at the table to talk about what’s needed to retain the skills and experience health care workers have and they have been more or less shut out by this government,” he said.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell