CHESLEY – South Bruce Grey Health Centre (SBGHC) will begin gradually reintroducing acute care beds at the Chesley hospital. An increasing number of patients designated as alternate level of care (ALC) are being discharged from the Chesley site, creating capacity to admit acute patients.
Prior to Dec. 27, 2021, the Chesley site of SBGHC contained eight acute beds and 10 Senior Centre of Care beds, for a total of 18 beds. However, to address nursing staff shortages, the Chesley inpatient unit was converted to an ALC unit on Dec. 27 for a temporary but indefinite period. The temporary creation of the ALC unit allowed SBGHC to implement an alternate staffing model which required fewer registered nurses. Now, with the reduction in the number of patients designated as ALC, the Chesley site can begin to return to its previous bed configuration.
Patients designated as ALC no longer require hospital treatment, and are awaiting placement in the community (i.e. long-term care, group home, or home with home care supports). At the end of January, 23 of SBGHC’s 60 beds across all four sites were occupied by ALC patients who could not be discharged to their next destination due to staffing and capacity challenges in other parts of the health-care system. Today, this number has been reduced, and SBGHC has 16 beds with patients designated as ALC.
Beginning March 21, 2022, four acute beds will be reopened at the Chesley site, and 14 beds will remain designated for ALC and Seniors Centre of Care.
The immediate and first priority of SBGHC is to return all clinical services across the four sites to full operation. In addition to the gradual return of acute beds to Chesley, SBGHC is also focused on returning the emergency departments in both Chesley and Walkerton to 24/7 operation following a reduction in hours at both due to a shortage of nurses. SBGHC has created an action plan for nursing recruitment and retention to assist in increasing nursing resources in all four sites.
“The gradual reintroduction of acute care beds at the Chesley site is an encouraging step in the right direction as we continue to remain focused on our goal of returning all of our services to full operation as soon as possible,” said SBGHC board chair Bill Heikkila. “Work is continuing every day on finding the necessary nursing resources which are required to return both the Walkerton and Chesley emergency departments to 24/7 service.”
“Our team has been working diligently on implementing the strategies outlined in our nursing recruitment and retention action plan, and we are beginning to see more stability within the nursing staff pool for the Chesley site with a number of agency nurses who are now orientated and ready to fill shifts. We recognize the desire of our nurses to care for acute patients, and being able to practise to full scope of practice is an important part of recruiting and retaining these highly skilled nurses,” said Michael Barrett, SBGHC CEO. “And the Walkerton and Chesley communities have told us very clearly that they want to see all clinical services in both communities return to full service.”
A progress report for SBGHC’s nursing recruitment and retention action plan has been posted on SBGHC’s website, which includes the following updates on the immediate actions being taken to restore services at SBGHC.
Six agency RNs have been orientated and are currently filling shifts. Three agency RNs are in the process of being on-boarded.
Nine casual RN positions have been posted internally and externally, and six positions have been filled.
Two registered midwives have signed on to stabilize staffing in the Family Birthing Centre, and additional candidates are being explored.
Ten nursing student extern positions for RN students have been offered and filled (five – fourth year, one – third year, three – second year, and one – first year).
One internationally educated nurse extern position has been offered and filled.
Three full-time single-site RN positions with unmastered lines have been posted (two in Walkerton, one in Chesley). These positions are above and beyond SBGHC’s regular staff complement.
A recruitment co-ordinator to support the recruitment of nursing staff has been hired, effective Feb. 22.
