Military help on its way to Alberta to offset pandemic pressures
The Canadian Armed Forces will deploy eight critical care nurses to Alberta on Monday, with the bulk of them being stationed in Edmonton area hospitals.
This as calls grew louder for federal aid to support healthcare workers in Alberta over recent weeks, with COVID-19 hospitalizations reaching new highs.
Premier Jason Kenney says these additional staff members will help fully staff an additional two ICU beds.
“I know that Alberta healthcare workers will be grateful for the helping hand and that all Albertans are thankful for any assistance at this challenging time,” he said Thursday.
The Canadian Red Cross is also set to deploy staff on Monday, with up to 20 destined for Red Deer, to help in that city’s hospital “to augment or relieve existing staff working in hospitals,” read a statement from officials.
In September, Alberta cancelled all non-urgent surgeries in the province due to rising hospitalizations and ICU beds being filled.
For Sharon Durham, a Wynyard, Sask., resident, the pressure on Alberta hospitals has been detrimental to her health.
She is suffering from a rare form of cancer in her face, that has since returned.
Durham was scheduled to have surgery in Edmonton at the University of Alberta hospital, before it was abruptly cancelled last week.
She was told because hospital numbers are skyrocketing, and she is not an Alberta resident, her lifesaving surgery could not take place.
Durham says doctors have told her she may lose her eyesight or possibly die due to the form of cancer she has.
And she blames those who are unvaccinated for delaying surgeries like hers.
“The unvaccinated people who have the choice to get vaccinated aren’t,” she said.
“When they get sick, the first place they go is to our hospitals. Well why are they allowed to take my bed, when I’m doing everything for society to help out.”
However, on Friday, she received a call saying her surgery is back on and scheduled for Oct. 7.
Durham believes there are even more people suffering like her and pleads with anyone not vaccinated, to do so.
“I’m so angry,” she said. “It’s hard because I even have family members who are not vaccinated.”
She says she also has a cousin in need of a kidney transplant, who can’t get one.
Dr. Stephen Vaughan, an infectious disease specialist in Alberta says staffing issues have been troubling at hospitals, with nurses doubling and potentially tripling their workload.
“Typical ICU nurse would have one to one nursing where they would take a care of a single patient,” he said.
“They are all taking care of two patients now and if more people with COVID come in, they may have to take care of three patients at the same time.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
NEW Iconic Canadian song turns 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Prince Harry, Meghan arrive in Nigeria to champion the Invictus Games and meet with wounded soldiers
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, arrived in Nigeria on Friday to champion the Invictus Games, which he founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans, among them Nigerian soldiers fighting a 14-year war against Islamic extremists.
Countries struggle to draft 'pandemic treaty' to avoid mistakes made during COVID
After the coronavirus pandemic triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions, leaders at the World Health Organization and worldwide vowed to do better in the future. Years later, countries are still struggling to come up with an agreed-upon plan for how the world might respond to the next global outbreak.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.