Portlaoise hospital nurses express concern after the Covid outbreak caused the ward to be closed

NURSES AT MIDLAND Regional Hospital Portlaoise (MRHP) have raised concerns about staffing shortages amid a Covid-19 outbreak at the hospital.

The hospital’s medical ward is no longer accepting new patients after several patients and staff tested positive for the virus.

Currently, fourteen patients are being treated in the ward and six beds are empty.

At 8pm yesterday, four patients at the hospital were confirmed to have Covid-19, including one in intensive care. Two other patients are suspected of having the virus.

Nursing staff have expressed concern that several colleagues are out of work, either because they have Covid-19, were a close contact for a confirmed case, or are awaiting test results.

Two Covid-19 patients, both residents at the nearby Kilminchy Lodge Nursing Home, recently died in hospital.

A spokesman for the hospital said that “testing and tracing are ongoing” so they are not in a position to comment on how many employees are out of work due to the outbreak.

A person familiar with the situation said that hospital nurses are “scared” and “really anxious” about the outbreak and its impact on staffing.

The MRHP spokesperson confirmed that the medical room is now closed to new admissions due to Covid-19 cases among “various patients and staff members.”

According to data from the Covid-19 Hub, in the last 24 hours there have been 26 hospital admissions in Ireland, 238 confirmed cases in hospitals and 29 people in Intensive Care Units.

The number of hospitalized cases fell from 240 on Monday to 214 last night, but rose again today to 238.

Outbreak team

After the Covid-19 cases were identified in MRHP, the hospital’s outbreak control team was convened, in accordance with the guidelines of the Center for Health Protection Surveillance.

“Covid-19 testing and contact tracing of both staff and patients are actively underway to ensure the protection of public health. Any staff members identified as close contacts of Covid-19 cases are now self-isolating, ”the spokesperson said.

They noted that all other services at the hospital continue to function normally, and patients who have appointments must attend unless the hospital communicates directly with them.

“The hospital wants to assure patients, staff and the public that all appropriate measures have been taken in accordance with national guidelines. Key hospital contacts have been provided to staff and patients should any concerns need to be addressed.

“The protection of public health is of the utmost importance to the hospital and every effort is being made to reduce the risk of the spread of Covid-19 at this time,” the spokesperson said.