Port Hardy Hospital’s emergency department closed temporarily, Island Health says

In B.C., Island Health officials have announced a temporary closure of the emergency department at the Port Hardy Hospital.

The closure started on Monday, Nov. 7 and will last until the morning of Friday, Nov. 11.

Island Health said the closure is due to “limited nursing availability.”

Anyone experiencing a medical emergency is asked to still call 9-1-1, but patients can also go to Port McNeill Hospital’s emergency department.

“Island Health acknowledges this is not an ideal situation for the community and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience experienced by this temporary service interruption,” Island Heath said in a release.

Hundreds of B.C. nurses held a rally in Vancouver last Friday ahead of contract negotiations with the province.

“We are hearing some facilities are 50 to 70 per cent short-staffed,” BC Nurses’ Union’s president Aman Grewal said at the rally.

“(Nurses) are mandated to work overtime. Some of them are being mandated to work 24-hour shifts. No other profession mandates people to work 24-hour shifts.”

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