Letterbox: ‘Ridiculous’ underfunding at Eagle Ridge Hospital exacerbates staff shortages

Written by Port Moody Coun. Samantha Agtarap, this letter contends Eagle Ridge Hospital is in desperate need of more staff and resources. A response from Fraser Health is included below.

Dear editor,

Eagle Ridge Hospital serves the second fastest growing region in Fraser Health. The demand at Eagle Ridge Hospital is outstripping its capacity, not only beds but staff capacity along with increasingly sicker patients arriving at hospital doors. The systemic failure of provincial investment is nowhere more obvious than healthcare.

I have been hearing from friends that work within ERH about the critical shortage of staff. One told me of a night shift where two nurses were responsible for 32 patients. Ultimately, nurses from other units were able to help cover, but mandated patient ratios are seemingly meaningless.

Not only is this an unsafe situation for patients, but I cannot imagine the stress on nursing staff.

In addition, because ERH does not have the same medical imaging options on-site as other hospitals do, patients that need medical imaging such as an MRI, must be sent off-site. If they are in-patients, too sick to get there themselves, that means they need an escort, whether that is an LPN or RN. In a time where we are already experiencing staff shortages, this seems like a ridiculous situation – and an unnecessary financial and human burden.

Other hospitals, such as Peace Arch and Ridge Meadows, serving smaller populations, have MRI machines. Why are Tri-Cities residents being asked to shoulder this burden? To get answers, I submitted an FOI, asking this question:

The number of Eagle Ridge inpatients sent to other hospitals or clinics for MRI or interventional radiology (X-Ray, IR, CT). And the number of nurse (RN, LPN, etc.) hours needed to accompany the patient to imaging.

The answer: Medical Imaging does not have metrics on nursing or other care speciality for hospital transfers.

I also asked: The number of patients residing in the Tri-Cities on the waitlist for MRI scan or other interventional radiology. That is, patients whose primary address is listed as one of these cities.

Answer: 7,192 patients waiting at multiple Fraser Health Sites.

And this question: The number of Tri-Cities patients that have been on the waitlist for more than 6 months.

Answer: 4,389 patients waiting at multiple Fraser Health sites

The FOI didn’t answer the why but it did give a sense of the scale of the problem. Without other regions’ waitlist numbers, it is hard to compare, but over 7,000 residents waiting for an MRI seems like a lot.

From one of my nurse friends (shared with permission): “I would like to address the issue of inadequate staffing in the context of the sheer amount of escort shifts which occur at ERH. In the absence of escort shifts, staffing is already difficult, and lines are becoming increasingly difficult to fill, with many nurses not wanting to take a full-time line, many dropping to part time and casual status as they find it more beneficial for their lives and families, and nursing schools struggling to fill spots in their programs (a first for most nursing programs, which tend to be highly selective and competitive). Many new nurses are leaving the profession within five years of becoming registered. Nurses do this due to lack of support from the employer, low job satisfaction, inadequate staffing, and not feeling safe in the workplace.”

This is fundamentally what the nurses’ strike is about: working conditions. Until the government addresses this fundamental issue, nurses and patients are going to suffer. We all deserve better. Including access to medical imaging in our own community.

Support nurses and tell our MLA what we need.

Sincerely,

Samantha Agtarap

Fraser Health planning for MRI at Eagle Ridge Hospital

At Eagle Ridge Hospital, and across Fraser Health, our teams are working hard to provide safe, timely care for everyone who needs us, with priority given to people with the most urgent health concerns. We understand that waiting for care can be frustrating and difficult, and we thank our patients, families, and communities for their patience and support.

Planning for a new MRI at Eagle Ridge Hospital is underway, and we are working closely with the Ministry of Health to ensure we are ready to move forward as soon as funding and approvals are in place.

We are actively pursuing opportunities to advance the project and exploring flexible, innovative approaches that will support future growth and help meet the community’s health care needs for years to come.

Fraser Health public affairs senior consultant Zahra Alani