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What does an understaffed hospital system in a pandemic look like? UVA can tell you.
A few days ago, UVA Med Center activated a policy which increases nurse/patient ratios in acute care areas across the hospital, while moving some staff to work in specialties in which they may not be trained. Both situations make the hospital less safe for patients & staff alike.
This is an emergency protocol for an emergency situation. As with many other hospitals across the country, things at UVA Med Center are the worst they’ve been since the pandemic started.
While the immediate situation is of the pandemic’s making, the staffing crisis is a much larger problem that will continue even after this particular emergency has ended.
At the moment, patient care staff are being incentivized to take on extra shifts for extra pay. In addition to reminding everyone to wear their masks, social distance, and stay home as much as possible, UCWVA calls on @uvahealthnews to make these wage increases PERMANENT.
Pay your essential healthcare workers more—t-shirts and “thank you”s optional.
