Stressed Galway hospital staff cope with 1,000 ED patients in a week

CONDITIONS at the ED (Emergency Department) unit of University Hospital Galway have been described as ‘horrendous’ over the past ten days, by a senior nurses representative working there.

The unit was close to being ‘over-ran’ last week with 1,000 patients presenting, forcing the hospital to ‘take over’ the physiotherapy gym at the hospital and transform it into a temporary ward.

A surge in patient numbers – possibly coinciding with a spell of arctic weather conditions and a spate of viral/chest complaints – has triggered off an ‘Escalation Plan’ at the hospital.

Part of the Hospital One unit at Merlin Park was closed down over the past week with staff there transferred to ED at UHG in an effort to cope with the numbers attending.

At one point last Friday, Gardai had to be called to the ED unit after two staff members were threatened with assault – the Connacht Tribune has learnt that an attempt was made to bite one employee.

A number of other people who turned up for overnight treatment ended up going home and re-presenting for treatment the following day.

The use of the ‘physio gym’ – on the same level as the ED unit – is an emergency measure normally kept in reserve for major accident situations, should they arise.

On some days last week, up to 120 people were waiting for treatment in ED with patients on trolleys for up to three days.

Anne Burke, INMO (Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation), this week told the Connacht Tribune that conditions at ED last week were ‘horrendous’ with staff working under the most unbelievable levels of stress.

“We really so badly want to provide a good service but it’s simply impossible to do that. First of all we simply physically don’t have the room in the place – we need a new ED unit, but some plan needs to be put in place to deal with the immediate term issues,” said Anne Burke.

She said that last week there had been a very small number of discharges from the hospital while there had been a surge in the numbers of people presenting to ED.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.