Carleton Place hospital ER closing Friday and Saturday nights due to staffing shortage

The Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital in Carleton Place. (Jackie Perez/CTV News Ottawa)

The emergency department at the hospital in Carleton Place will be closed overnight Friday and Saturday this weekend due to a nursing shortage.

The Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital says the ER will be closed from 4 p.m. Friday until 7 a.m. Saturday.  The ER will be closed again from 7 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. on Sunday.

"These temporary closures are due to a shortage of nursing staff. The rest of the hospital is still open and caring for patients," the hospital said in a statement.

The Carleton Place hospital ER was previously closed for 16 hours on June 4-5 and June 10-11 due to staffing shortages.

"Patient and staff safety is our main priority," Mary Wilson Trider, President and CEO of the Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital, said. "Our dedicated teams at both Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital and Almonte General Hospital continue their tireless efforts to ensure we have the necessary staff to support our community with their health care needs. We are closely supported by our team at the Lanark County Paramedic Service."

The hospital says anyone requiring immediate medical attention should call 9-1-1, and paramedics will transport patients to the nearest hospital emergency department for care.

The closest emergency departments are the Almonte General Hospital, Arnprior Regional health, Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital and the Queensway-Carleton Hospital.