Influenza cases in Ontario appear to be dipping after reaching a peak December, but hospitals in Ottawa are still under pressure with long wait times and capacity challenges. “Like many hospitals across Ottawa and Ontario, Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH) is currently experiencing very high patient volumes,” said QCH communications officer Michaela Ianni. “Hospital occupancy is at 114 per cent, with medicine units at 133 per cent, and 27 patients in the ED currently waiting for an inpatient bed. We are seeing not only a high volume of patients, but a high volume of acute patients who do require our care.” That level of demand has forced the QCH to lean on ‘unconventional’ spaces to care for patients. “Hallways do become a patient care environment, and we have had to even go into public settings within a patient care unit, so, we have common dining room areas which we have had to remove a significant amount of the tables and furniture within the space and then convert that into unconventional patient care spaces,” said Ashley Malloff, Interim Vice President Quality & Chief Nursing Executive at the hospital. “We’re certainly seeing a higher volume of patients within the walls of the hospital and need for care in the community, and with that is coming a higher demand of isolation needs within the hospital.” The surge in people requiring care is leading to some frustrating moments for people like Ken Saunderson, who had to wait at the QCH for nearly 15 hours with his wife, who required treatment for a skin infection. “It was completely frustrating, aggravating and extremely tiring,” he said. “Once you get into the system, the people are fantastic. The doctors are fantastic, the nurses who are providing all the services on the floor, they’re fantastic too. Super nice, super caring. It’s just to try to get in there that seems to be the big problem.” The hospital says staff continue to do what they can to care for patients in a timely manner, but some may have to wait longer than others. “Patients are triaged with the most serious or life-threatening needs seen first. Stable patients may wait longer, even though their care needs remain important,” said Ianni. “We are doing everything we can to get people the care they need as soon as possible, including opening additional temporary care spaces, monitoring patient flow multiple times a day, adding staffing, and working with regional partners.”
