By NP Post Staff
As hospitalizations continue to increase at Great Plains Health (GPH) from COVID-19 and other diseases and ailments, the problem at the hospital is not so much having beds but having people to care for the patients in those beds.
GPH CEO Mel McNea said the nursing shortage the hospital is experiencing is really reaching a crisis point, and patients are being transferred to other Nebraska hospitals because of the lack of nurses.
McNea said while more patients are being hospitalized for COVID-19, patients still require care and hospitalization for other diseases and sicknesses.
"In addition to treating patients for COVID-19, we're responsible for treating patients who might be suffering a stroke, a heart attack or who were in a car accident," said McNea.
McNea said the staff at GPH is exhausted and getting sick, in part, he says because of the community's lack of adherence to wearing masks.
"Masks have an impact on the spread of this virus and will hands down help us reduce the number of people who contract COVID-19," McNea said.
The bottom line is the need for nurses is dire and McNea says they are looking in many different directions to get more staff.
GPH and hospitals across the state are launching marketing campaigns to get retired nurses and medical workers, or workers who have left the medical field to return to the workforce.
"That's the desperate situation that's going on across the state," said McNea.
McNea says projections are that hospitalizations will continue to rise and, in return, so will the need for healthcare workers.
GPH is asking retired nurses or nurses who may have left the medical field to contact their human resources department at 308-568-8888 to find out if you are eligible.
You can also visit the GPH Facebook page or website for more information.