Regina NICU overcapacity with no end in sight, frontline worker claims

WATCH: Workers at Regina’s NICU are sounding the alarm, claiming they are overcapacity and overworked. Angela Stewart reports.

A frontline healthcare worker at the Regina General Hospital’s (RGH) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) claims nurses on the unit are exhausted and overworked due to overcapacity.

The situation came to light Monday - after a letter to the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) was published.

The healthcare worker also claimed there is a shortage of ventilators on the unit.

“These are not people who exaggerate or just talk for the sake of talking. They are telling us what needs, what they need, and they’re telling us what’s happening and that we need to pay attention to what’s going on,” said SUN President Tracy Zambory.

Those working on the unit are apparently working large amounts of overtime to maintain the level of care required for patients.

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Speaking to reporters Monday, Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said there is no shortage of ventilators at the hospital.

“It is my understanding we haven’t run out of ventilators at RGH,” Cockrill said.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) reiterated Cockrill’s comments in a statement to CTV News.

“While our capacity changes regularly with admissions and discharges, for the last two weeks, we are seeing [an] increase in the number of premature babies and multiples births, such as twins, requiring NICU support in Regina,” the statement read.

“Even with this unplanned surge, the SHA does not have a shortage of ventilators, including in NICU.”

Zambory says she is choosing to believe those on the ground, dealing with the situation firsthand.

“I’m hearing from nurses that they were down to their last ventilator and that’s who I believe because they’re actually the people that are on the frontlines doing the job,” she said.

“Actually stepping up and going and having an honest conversation with these registered nurses to say, you know what, we are on this team together, we’re here to come and help.”

The SHA went on to say that there is NICU capacity across the province with units in Saskatoon, Prince Albert and Regina.