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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2009-10-07, Page 2• %vb.*: # ,i itor4''©oct131:0t7 20b9 News Three part-time nurses still needed for Seaforth ER From Page 1 She said that while the nurse who is shared between the two sites worked more often in Seaforth when the ER first closed, she has been working in Clinton more often recently. "We are not giving up shifts or supporting Clinton at Seaforth's ex- pense," said Cardinal. LAC member Tim Cunningham asked if the hospital could look for two full-time ER nurses instead of three part-timers. "Wouldn't that make it more at- tractive to the nurses?" he said. "That could be a consideration," re- sponded Cardinal. LAC chair Gord Rimmer said that Canada's Economic Action Plan is building for the future. Through our Economic Action Plan, the Govemment of Canada and its partners at all levels of government are investing in world-class infrastructure, creating new jobs • today in communities from coast to coast to coast, and ensuring project start-ups in record time. . FIND OUT ABOUT PROJECTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY ac lonplan.gc.ca 1 800 0 -Canada Enhancing infrastructure across Canada. • Roads, bridges & highways • University & college buildings • Public transit • Arenas & recreational trails • Clean water systems • Broadband Internet access • and much more. Canaua" with the ER closed overnight since February, one year is coming up fast.' "We need to give the people of Sea - forth a Merry Christmas somehow," he said. "There's got to be some way of rescheduling to manage it." After the meeting, Cardinal said the Alliance staff has been looking at whether sharing more full-time positions between sites would make sense to coverstaff shortages. "But, that has its scheduling chal- lenges too," she said. Cardinal also said she is hearing more questions lately about when Seaforth's ER will reopen overnight. "People are a little anxious with winter coming on so I'm hearing a little more about it. But; we are con- tinuing to try and recruit. It was very big getting a full-time emergen- cy nurse," she said. In the minutes of the Sept. 3 Alli- ance board meeting, the issue of the Seaforth ER is raised with the pro- gram director of emergency, Shirley Veenendaal explaining scheduling at both Seaforth and Clinton hospitals. "Shirley noted that the Alliance, especially the Clinton, St. Marys and Seaforth sites, are still in the unfor- tunate position of being one nurse away from a crisis," said the min- utes. • Nursing students an asset Thirteen third year nursing stu- dents who were hired throughout the Huron Perth Healthcare Alli- ance for the summer were a great asset to the Alliance's four hospitals, Seaforth hospital site administrator Mary Cardinal told the Local Advi- sory Committee last week. Cardinal said the nursing students were hired as non-regulated staff since they hadn't graduated yet but they provided great assistance at the Alliance hospitals. "It was a great early recruitment strategy. Maybe they'll consider the Alliance as a place of employment when they graduate," she said. Isotope shortage not a concern locally While there were Canada -wide concerns over the summer about a shortage of medical isotopes after the shutdown of the National Re- search Universal Reactor in Chalk River, the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance had very little disruption in service, Seaforth hospital's site administrator Mary Cardinal told the Local Advisory Committee of the hospital last week. "Sometimes we didn't know if we had enough isotopes until the day before and there was a time when we were not booking elective treat- ment but there is not a problem right now," she said. "It was a little different at the larg- er centres where they had to do a little more juggling," she said.