Pandemic effects on health care the worst yet, say N.B. doctors and nurses

New Brunswick doctors and nurses say the situation in the health-care system is the worst it's been since the start of the pandemic.

As of late last week, there were 232 COVID patients in hospital and about 650 health-care workers off work because of COVID infections or exposures.

"Everybody's trying to keep their head above water right now," said New Brunswick Nurses Union president Paula Doucet.

Nurses are sometimes working 24-hour shifts to keep units open, said Doucet. There are units with just two nurses to look after 30 patients, and some emergency departments that are supposed to have 15 nurses on a shift are trying to stay open with just six, she said

She is calling for an emergency meeting of all stakeholders in the health system to figure out ways to mitigate "the exodus of health care workers" and to keep services afloat.

Doucet and New Brunswick Medical Society president Dr. Mark MacMillan agreed the main thing needed is an investment in human resources.

"Creative solutions do require manpower," MacMillan said.

Doctors are even pitching in, he said, by doing things such as transporting patients.

But it's hard to offload ambulance patients when you only have a small number of doctors and nurses running an ER department or when beds are blocked on the floors, said MacMillan.

"It's becoming challenging to function on a day-to-day basis," he said.

MacMillan was careful not to sound alarmist, however.

Despite their concerns, he and Doucet both said they have confidence in the system and the ability of health professionals to deliver care to those in need of it.

Premier Blaine Higgs has suggested the staff shortages are tied to isolation policies that may be overly strict.

Horizon Health confirmed Friday its employees must isolate for five days if they have a close contact in the community who tests positive for COVID and for 10 days if they have a close contact with COVID in their own home.