ABILENE, TX -- Weeks after announcing the merger with Abilene Regional Hospital and increasing the number of nurses, the Hendrick Health System has confirmed the arrival of 80 additional nurses from the State of Texas.
According to Hendrick Health Systems CEO Brad Holland, the hospital staff is worried about the apparent third surge of COVID-19 in the area.
"Our ICUs are full. It’s undeniable. It’s not political, that’s a statistic," said Holland. “We have an issue. We had a problem before it has been amplified post-pandemic or post third surge.”
According to Holland, even before the pandemic began Hendrick's Intensive Care Unit was at capacity. This prompted the move to buy up surrounding hospitals.
“They had empty ICU beds, they had equipment, but they had no staff," said Holland.
Taylor County is part of Trauma Service Area D, which serves more than 300,000 people. According to Holland, Area D has the lowest ICU bed capacity in Texas.
According to DSHS, Area D currently has 287 hospital beds and only 1 ICU bed available.
Between the two Hendrick's hospitals, 40 beds need to be adequately staffed.
“When we request that [nurses], it’s things like ICU staff, things like respiratory therapy and then also some telemetry nurses too," said Chief Nursing Officer Susie Cassle.
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