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Paramedics Stuck: Hospital Hallways Become Waiting Rooms
6 Jan
Summary
- Over 2,000 hours of ambulance offload delays occurred in October.
- Nursing home bed shortages contribute to hospital patient backlogs.
- Offload delays put lives at risk by preventing ambulance response.
Paramedics across Newfoundland and Labrador are experiencing prolonged waits in hospital hallways, a direct consequence of systemic health-care pressures. In October, offload delays at three St. John's emergency rooms exceeded 2,000 hours. This bottleneck is largely attributed to a scarcity of nursing home beds, leading to patients occupying hospital beds longer than necessary.
The inability to admit new patients into hospitals creates a domino effect, leaving paramedics stranded with their patients in hallways. This critical issue not only impacts the efficiency of emergency services but also poses risks, as paramedics are unavailable to respond to other calls, potentially endangering lives.
While the health authority acknowledges the severity of offload delays, citing capacity and staffing challenges, efforts are underway to improve the situation. Initiatives include developing a capacity plan and enhancing resource allocation, aiming to reduce delays and ensure ambulances can return to service promptly.
