Phoebe to receive additional help with increased COVID-19 cases

Phoebe North in Albany

Phoebe

(ALBANY, GA) – After a lull in COVID-19 numbers in Dougherty County, the Phoebe Health System is bringing in more staff in the coming weeks to deal with the surge in confirmed cases.

“It is growing, slowly. So we’re working with the state again to get some of that contract labor back, and we’re expecting around 27 folks to come in next week,” says Phoebe CEO, Scott Steiner.

Initially treating nearly 200 patients at the height of the initial outbreak, phoebe health workers had played a part in knocking that number down to the upper 20s around mid-June.

The health system announced Thursday that they currently have more than 70 patients being treated for COVID.

With the COVID outbreaks in other states though, it’s a problem for the hospitals here.

Steiner tells us, “It’s a competition out there, so that’s why we really need the help of the state, cause they’ve got more reach, and more dynamics when it comes to recruiting for more temporary labor.”

Even with moe workers being brought on to help with phoebe hospital, there’s still the matter of making sure that there’s enough, not just to treat covid patients, but critical care as well.

Especially when it comes to maintaining help in the ICU

“We need 4.2 nurses in order to open up just one additional ICU bed. 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And so if we want to open 10 (beds) I need 42 critical care nurses in order to open up those 10 ICU beds,” says Steiner.

As well, Steiner stresses the importance of wearing a mask when out in public.