With flu season rapidly approaching, medical centers are beginning
to plan for a potentially rough year. The impact an increase in patients can
have to patient flow is significant, and when you also have a shortage of
staff, the impact can be even greater.
The ER in Winnipeg,
Canada, mentioned in
this article,
discusses how the shortage of nurses and the increase in patients from flu will
greatly impede optimal patient flow. The Health Sciences Center is attempting
to create a nurse pool of experienced RNs to fill staffing vacancies during the
upcoming flu season. When the number of patients being admitted increases, and
the staffing remains low, it stands to reason that there will be bottlenecks in
the process. Thinking ahead and planning for seasonal changes that can impact
flow is the best way to minimize the challenges.