ELK POINT - Patients seeking treatment in the overnight hours at the Emergency Department (ED) in Elk Point will have visit other EDs in the region for the next month.
Alberta Health Services (AHS) has temporarily reduced the hours of service for the ED at the Elk Point Healthcare Centre, "due to a lack of nursing staff and an inability to secure temporary coverage."
Releasing information on Jan. 17 and Jan. 18 regarding 12-hour closures that were expected to take place, a third media release came out on Jan. 19 detailing that hours at the ED would be reduced nightly until Feb. 20.
Over the next few weeks, the Elk Point emergency department will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and closed overnight, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
"This will allow existing staff to provide consistent service each day, during the times when the majority of emergency department visits occur," according to AHS.
"Residents are asked to call 911 if they have a medical emergency," and EMS remains available to the community.
AHS says work is being done to "ensure everyone receives the care they need through its partnership with EMS and a supportive regional network of healthcare centres. The emergency department may reopen sooner if coverage can be found."
Patients seeking care at the emergency department in Elk Point should be aware that some services are available through local pharmacies. Residents are also reminded to call Health Link at 811, if required, which is available 24/7 for non-emergency health-related questions.
"Recruitment of nurses is a challenge across North America. It can be particularly difficult outside of urban centres and with practitioners who bring specialty skills," according to AHS.
Efforts to recruit more nurses include "aggressively pursuing both Canadian and internationally trained professionals; working to support flexible roles and scope of practice within AHS; and consulting with post-graduate education programs to enable work experience in non-urban facilities."
