Nursing shortage forces closure of Almonte, Ont. hospital ER Saturday

The Almonte General Hospital is seen in this undated file image.

The Almonte General Hospital's emergency department will be closed Saturday afternoon and into Sunday morning because of a shortage of nurses.

The Mississippi River Health Alliance (MRHA) said in a news release Saturday that the emergency department will be closed from 3 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday. The rest of the hospital is open and patient care continues.

"These decisions are not made lightly and not without every alternative being exhausted. The ED has a very small staff with one physician and two nurses working on each shift. If one of them is sick, there is a big impact as there is not a large pool of people with Emergency Department training to draw from," the MRHA said.

The Almonte General Hospital has announced several temporary closures of its emergency department this year due to staffing shortages.

MRHA president and CEO Mary Wilson Trider said the organization is in contact with Ontario Health East Ministry staff to discuss potential solutions.

Anyone requiring immediate medical attention should call 9-1-1. Paramedics will take patients to the nearest Emergency Department for care.

The closest emergency departments are the Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital, Arnprior Regional Health, the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital and the Queensway Carleton Hospital in Ottawa.