Influenza and RS viruses are currently causing overload at the Graz Children’s Hospital. Instead of 110 patients, 200 are now treated on an outpatient basis every day. Aisle beds must be used in the inpatient room. Doctors are now calling on parents: only take children to the ambulance in extreme need!
Normally, the children’s clinic at the University Hospital of Graz treats about 110 patients a day. Currently, there are almost twice as many at 200. “To cope with this huge rush, staff resources at doctors and in the nursing team have been increased, but there may be even longer waiting times and capacity bottlenecks,” warns de Kages on Tuesday evening.
Most young patients are younger than six years old and therefore have an increased need for care. 16 more children were admitted than the clinic has capacity. A number of them had to be fitted with aisle beds. 29 children who needed oxygen were transferred to the regular ward.
In the outpatient clinic, the Kages had to be expanded from four to seven doctors and the inpatient nursing team was expanded by 15 people.
Parents: Only come in case of emergency!
That is why doctors and nurses have now issued a call: Parents of (small) children may only come to the outpatient clinic in extreme need. In addition, the children urgently need to be vaccinated against flu. “The number of patients could be 20 percent lower if the flu vaccination was successful,” says Kages.
Source: Krone
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