KITCHENER — More than 50 staff members at St. Mary’s General Hospital, including some nurses, were “at risk of potential exposure” to COVID-19 last week, says the hospital’s president.
Lee Fairclough said this potential exposure was discovered after the hospital learned of a patient’s positive test for the novel coronavirus on Thursday. Six staff who began showing symptoms were referred to public health for fast-tracked testing.
Fairclough’s comments were made in response to a news release from the Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA), sent out late Saturday evening.
In that document, the president of the union representing Ontario nurses said more than 50 nurses were exposed to the coronavirus at St. Mary’s while caring for a patient.
A patient presented at the emergency department and was screened for influenza, but not COVID-19, said union president Vicki McKenna. This patient was not isolated and the nurses treating them were unable to access N95 respirators. The hospital “strongly discourages nurses wearing them,” she wrote.
The hospital’s president said some of the details in the ONA’s news release were not accurate.
“When a potential exposure occurs, we have a clear process to investigate it quickly,” Fairclough wrote.
Those who were potentially exposed but remain asymptomatic are not being tested because it is not believed the test would be effective, the hospital’s president said. Testing them also wouldn’t be following provincial guidelines.
On Friday evening, St. Mary’s received a call from the Ministry of Labour as a result of a complaint from the nurses association.
“We acknowledged it immediately and began to work through the concerns and continue to do so,” Fairclough wrote.
On March 12, the ministry visited the hospital to assess the organization’s preparedness for COVID-19 infection prevention and control. The administrative review of measures and procedures included personal protective equipment and appropriate access to it.
The ministry was satisfied with the hospital’s preparedness, Fairclough said in the release.
“I care about staff at St. Mary’s, and it has been my goal since starting as president in January to establish an open and collaborative environment,” she said, adding she invited the union president to call her at any time should she hear worries from staff.
In the ONA release, McKenna urged the hospital to ensure screening protocols are followed and proper protective equipment is worn.
“We just cannot afford to lose nurses now.”
On Thursday March 19, Waterloo Region learned of its first case of COVID-19 acquired through local transmission. A woman in her 20s who works at St. Mary’s hospital was at work while experiencing symptoms.
She developed symptoms on March 11 and was tested on March 13, then released to self-isolate at home the same day.
The woman was symptomatic while at work at St Mary’s on March 13. In an earlier interview, Fairclough said the woman is not involved in direct patient care.
Twitter: @SetoRecord
Twitter: @SetoRecord
