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Almonte General Hospital’s ER will close temporarily Saturday afternoon due to nurse shortage

The Emergency Department at the Almonte General Hospital (AGH) will close temporarily from 3 p.m. on Saturday until 7 p.m. on Sunday.

The closure is due to a shortage of nursing staff, said the Mississippi River Health Alliance (MRHA) in a news release on Saturday.

“Like many rural hospitals in Ontario and across the country, Almonte General Hospital (AGH) has had to close the emergency department for short periods due to staffing challenges. These decisions are not made lightly and not without every alternative being exhausted,” read the release.

AGH’s emergency department operates with a small staff, including one physician and two nurses working on each shift, MRHA says, citing difficulty finding replacement for sick leave.

Meanwhile, Mary Wilson Trider, CEO of AGH , says the hospital is currently dealing with multiple sick leaves.

“We know these closures are concerning for our community. We are in contact with Ontario Health East Ministry staff to discuss potential solutions,” Trider said.

“The hospital applauds all the staff who have worked countless hours of overtime in their efforts to ensure the best care for our community. They have provided outstanding care throughout the pandemic and continue to work extremely hard.”

The rest of the hospital is still open and caring for patients.

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