Vitalite Health Network says it has been forced to reduce its intensive care unit beds from six to four for a “period of time” at the Campbellton, N.B., regional hospital as a result of a nursing shortage.
In a statement on Friday, Sharon Smyth-Okana, the vice-president of clinical services for the regional health authority, said “there will still be an additional bed available in case of overflow.”
“As needed, we will closely work with other regions in the Vitalite Health Network to establish safe transfer corridors,” she said in the statement.
”We will announce the return to normal as soon as possible.”
It’s not the first hospital in the northern region of the province to deal with shortages. Both the Chaleur Regional and Edmundston regional hospitals are faced issues with pediatrics and obstetrics units. In 2020, Campbellton also had temporary suspensions of its obsetrics and pediatric units.
In June, pediatric services at the Georges-L.-Dumont hospital were temporarily suspended as well due to a shortage of medical staff in the facility.
The province, and both health authorities, have been grappling with a sustained health-care worker shortage.
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