Doctors and nurses say overcrowding is reaching a breaking point at Royal Columbian Hospital with some nurses even leaving their jobs in the emergency room.
Since February, ten nurses have resigned from the ER with most moving to other areas of the hospital.
Front-line physicians say they don’t have enough access to appropriate care spaces in the emergency department.
They claim there aren’t enough beds, which means patients are often forced to wait in hallways before being moved.
The doctors say the lack of space is also forcing them to decide which patients need care the most, meaning patient care could be compromised.
“It’s been a chronic problem,” said emergency physician Dr. Adam Lund on Unfiltered with Jill Krop Monday night. “I think sometimes we get complacent about it. We get used to the bad conditions. Every once in a while we are reminded how bad it has gotten.”
Fraser Health insists there are initiatives in place to accommodate the increased flow of patients.
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