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Emergency health workers in California Wednesday blasted hours-long waits to transfer patients from ambulances to hospital emergency rooms in what they said were chronic delays worsened by the nearly two-year coronavirus pandemic. During a legislative hearing, first responders said taking more than the anticipated 20 minutes to receive a patient at a hospital emergency room isn’t good for the patient and impedes their ability to head out on new emergency calls. Often, they said, they wind up waiting hours at hospitals because no one is available to receive new patients — a problem that doctors and a hospital administrator said stems from delays in lab work, X-rays and insurance authorizations. (Taxin, 1/19)

Hospital staffing shows no sign of improvement —

Health care providers have been the frontline of our nation’s battle against the Covid-19 pandemic, and they have responded heroically. That said, the initial set of seemingly insurmountable challenges that hospitals had to overcome in every community across the U.S. — like accessing sufficient personal protective equipment so they could safely provide care — have now been replaced with a new problem of epic proportions: a tsunami of staffing and labor challenges. These challenges were the number one issue that CEOs and CFOs from 20 of America’s most prominent health systems shared at this year’s recently concluded 40th Annual J.P. Morgan Health Care Conference. While nearly every industry is currently facing staffing problems, the issue in health care is especially acute due to the demands and burnout associated with being on the frontlines of care throughout the last two years. (Michelson, 1/19)

Alaska reported more than 10,000 new COVID-19 cases over the last five days, and hospitals statewide continue to report growing staffing challenges. However, the virus is so far not driving up patient admissions the same way it did in past surges. The previous delta surge in Alaska brought hundreds of sick patients to the state’s hospitals in short succession, many requiring long stays. The omicron variant, which has been shown to be less severe but more contagious, is instead causing more strain on hospitals as a result of staff becoming infected or exposed and needing to stay home, according to Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association president Jared Kosin. More than 250 health care workers were out on Tuesday, either with COVID-19 or a recent exposure, Kosin said. (Krakow and Berman, 1/19)

Oklahoma City hospitals are in crisis again. Hospital leaders on Tuesday described how the omicron variant of COVID-19 has pushed them to a breaking point: they're facing overflowing emergency rooms, shortages of supplies like syringes and saline, and scores of staff illnesses on top of an already depleted workforce. “This time, it feels and sometimes even looks like a war zone,” said Dr. Julie Watson, the chief medical officer of Integris Health. “Cases have risen so rapidly, we have to care for patients in hallways, sometimes closets.” (Branham, 1/19)

With Nevada hospitals reporting a staffing “crisis” and health officials reporting COVID-19 patient tallies at pandemic highs, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak highlighted a program Wednesday to enlist nursing students to help meet the demand for medical providers. (Ritter, 1/20)

Wisconsin National Guard Sgt. Andrew Hemaidan may have settled his career path during the training for his next mission — becoming a nursing aide in order to help relieve the burden on the state's nursing homes. Hemaidan, 25, is one of 80 guard members who volunteered to undergo the 75-hour course that will allow them to go into nursing homes and work under the direction of registered nurses already in facilities, allowing the facilities to open up more space for patients in need of long-term care. (Schulte, 1/19)

In related news —

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Montefiore Medical Center for failing to keep workers safe in several incidents, as violence against healthcare workers continues to increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. Montefiore will pay $17,555 over its handling of an attack on staff members. In early 2021, a psychiatric patient assaulted multiple workers during observation and during an attempted escape. OSHA said Montefiore had not developed and implemented adequate measures to protect employees from recurring serious hazards, and for not recording injuries properly. (Gillespie, 1/19)

Staff nurses around the United States are leaving full-time positions to become contract or travel nurses with short-term assignments. Many cite pandemic conditions, such as staffing and equipment shortages, as their reason for leaving their local hospitals and health-care facilities. (1/19)