Port McNeill Hospital’s emergency department closed unexpectedly on Friday evening due to staff shortages.
At around 5:30 p.m., Island Health said the hospital’s ER would remain closed from 7 a.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday due to an “unforeseen” shortage of nurses. .
During this time, the hospital will not accept new patients.
Island Health says anyone in the community who has a medical emergency should call 911 or go to Port Hardy Hospital if possible.
If you are unsure if you have a medical event that requires an emergency hospital visit, Island Health says you can contact HealthLinkBC toll-free at 811 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day.
Island Health says it was unaware of the shortage of nursing at North Island Hospital until Friday afternoon.
“Despite the local management’s immediate effort to find alternative nursing coverage, nursing coverage has not been assured,” the health authority said in a statement on Friday.
“Island Health recognizes that this is not an ideal situation for the community and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience experienced by this temporary reduction in service.”
This is the third time Port McNeill Hospital has faced the closure of the emergency department in so many months.
In early May and March, the hospital warned of weekend emergency closures due to staff shortages.