More resources will soon be available to mothers giving birth at the Health Sciences Centre, and St. Boniface hospitals.
The obstetrics units at those two hospitals will get $2.3 million annually to hire more nurses.
“Effective immediately, nurses that are working part-time can apply for these full time shifts,” said Manitoba’s Health Minister Cameron Friesen.
The new positions will primarily be filled from within.
“We believe this change can come into effect very, very quickly,” Friesen said.
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority is projecting more than 12,000 babies being born at the two hospitals this year. That’s a 13 per cent increase over a ten-year period.
The new funding means an elective cesarean section team will be implemented at St. Boniface.
The WRHA’s Womens Health Director Lynda Tjaden says the objective behind the team is to reduce delays for planned and elective C- sections.
“Now we can say we are bringing in a certain number of patients at this time and they will have their own team to look after them.”
Tjaden says with the number of C-sections growing, delays were almost expected.
“Previously, people who were scheduled for a C-section at 11:30 and people coming in the door because they’re in labor were being managed by the same team.”
At St. Boniface, two around-the-clock nurses will be added in the obstetrics unit, bringing their total from 12 to 14.
At HSC, one 24/7 nurse will be added, raising their number from 14 to 15.
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