As the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized begins to overwhelm local hospitals, forcing measures such as pausing elective surgeries, Providence Health Care in Spokane is calling on non-COVID staff to help carry the load.
Providence, in a statement, says that they have asked their non-hourly employees who are not “actively supporting” their COVID-19 response to work shifts outside of their regular duties within the hospital.
Depending on the employee’s clinical license, these duties include a mix of clinical and non-clinical roles, with some examples of non-clinical roles including patient transport, Emergency Department waiting room attendant, and others.
“This step is necessary to support the increasing number of COVID-19 patients and to assist with ongoing staffing challenges,” Providence said in their statement.
Tuesday, Sacred Heart said that they were caring for six COVID-19 patients under the age of 18 who needed intensive care, and 30 more adults in the ICU for the virus.
The Spokane Regional Health District says that throughout all of Spokane County, 221 patients are hospitalized fighting COVID-19.
