NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Ministry of Health has put out an appeal for nursing staff amidst the exponential rise in the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 during the country’s second wave of cases.
Acting Director of Nursing in the Ministry of Health Gina Dean told Eyewitness News that the increased number of hospitalizations and the expansion of the bed capacity to meet the demand of COVID-19 cases has resulted in a shortage of nursing staff.
“We have sent out to an appeal to nurses registered with the Bahamas Nursing Council, who are not engaged in the public sector now, who may be able to provide sessional work for us to fill some of our shortages,” Dean said.
We do have slots that we need to fill in with persons who are registered to provide care.”
Dean noted that the ministry has already begun receiving some inquiries from interested nurses. She said nurses will join the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 team and placement will likely be either at the South Beach Health Center or a COVID unit within the Ministry of Health.
Health officials have advised that for the COVID-19 response there are 10 beds at the South Beach Urgent Care and Referral Centre; 16 beds at the Cancer Association of The Bahamas building in Grand Bahama; four beds in the Legacy Unit of the Princess Margaret Hospital 10 beds in the old General Practice Clinic; 18 beds currently available at the 62-bed National Response Facility at the SuperClubs Breezes resort; 21 beds at Doctors Hospital West; and five beds at Doctors Hospital East.
An additional 30 beds are expected to come on stream in short order following the re-location of boarders from the Princess Margaret Hospital.
Two men are expected to be relocated to the Persis Rodgers Home for the Aged; 26 are earmarked for transfer to Pat’s Senior Citizens Home; and will eventually be transferred to the South Andros Group Home in South Andros.
Health officials have confirmed 49 additional cases of COVID-19 in The Bahamas yesterday, taking the total number of cases to 2,386.
Of the new cases, 28 are in New Providence, 13 are in Grand Bahama, and eight are in Abaco.
An additional three deaths have been also confirmed in Grand Bahama yesterday.
The latest COVID fatalities include a 66-year-old woman, who died on August 21; and a 62-year-old woman and 81-year-old man who both died on August 25. The death toll now stands at 50.
Officials also advised that one more death is being investigated, taking the number of deaths under investigation to 13.
Nurses who are willing and able to serve on a full time or part-time/sessional basis with the COVID-10 response team are asked to contact the Director of Nursing for more information at 502 – 4735/502 – 4865 or email ginadean@bahamas.gov.bs.
