PHOENIX — Hospitals across the country and here in the Valley continue to struggle with staffing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
New cases are plateauing but the death toll continues to climb. More Arizonans have died from COVID-19 this year than in 2020 despite vaccines being widely available for the public.
It is the staffing crisis that is crippling Valley health care providers
The state's largest health care provider Banner Health has nearly 1,000 core nursing positions open in addition to 360 travel nurse and respiratory therapist positions.
They are looking to fill core staff from now through January.
Valleywise has more than 300 open positions.
Dignity Health would not provide any numbers regarding vacancies but said their hospitals, along with the majority of hospitals throughout the country, are experiencing increased staffing needs due to the rise in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients.
Honor Health has more than 1,000 frontline positions that need to be filled.
“I’ve been a nurse for 40 years and I’ve never seen it like this,” said Honor Health Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Kim Post.
Staffing capacity does not equal licensed bed capacity
“It looks like we have room for more patients but we really don’t,” said Valley surgeon Dr. Sam Durrani.
According to the Arizona Department of Public Health, only 7% of ICU beds are available across the state. About 66% are non-COVID patients and 27% are COVID positive.
The state has 8% of its inpatient beds available with 72% being occupied by non-COVID patients and 20% being occupied by COVID positive patients. But it is hospital staffing that is the real crisis.
“Federal and state resources may not come to us because we look like we are in better shape than some other states but it’s simply not the case," said Dr. Durrani. "We don’t have the staff to take care of the volume and demand that we are seeing.”
The impact is more than just COVID-19 patients
Dr. Durrani said the availability of beds fails to provide a clear picture of what Valley hospitals are facing as we head into the holiday season.
Hospitals are reporting an increase in influenza, West Nile and trauma patients.
Honor Health rescheduling non-emergency procedures
The staffing strain has caused Honor Health to reschedule non-emergency procedures like knee replacements and open heart surgeries.
"We are delaying some procedures, moving them around," said Post. "It’s not ideal but it’s the best thing we can do to maintain the best quality we can and safest environment.”
Post said four of the hospital's six sites are at capacity and the remaining two are nearing capacity.
She said that traveling agencies are recruiting staff away from Valley hospitals with financial incentives and other providers like nurses are leaving for non-acute working environments.
"That is happening nationally and it's a big crisis," said Post. "It's going to force a lot of shortages and quite frankly burn out a lot of our health care workers."
A simple ask
Dr. Durrani said the community needs to take responsibility in pursuing preventive actions to help lessen the strain on hospitals.
"The healthcare system is here for everyone; we try to be here for everyone," said Dr. Durrani. "The least we can ask you to do is get vaccinated.”
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