(L-R) Registered nurse Stephanie Fehr, Saskatchewan NDP candidate Vicki Mowat and registered nurse Sara Peters speak at a press conference outside Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon on October 6, 2024. (Submitted by the Saskatchewan NDP)/sas

'Dangerous care': Inside Saskatoon's overcrowded emergency rooms

A nurse at St. Paul's Hospital said the ER is "consistently caring for at least double the amount of people we are safely able to."

by · Saskatoon StarPhoenix

If patient shows up at the emergency department of St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon complaining of chest pain, that’s a symptom of a heart attack until proven otherwise, says registered nurse Stephanie Fehr.

That patient “should be immediately placed on a heart monitor and thoroughly assessed and continually monitored by staff while in our care” — but will probably never get a heart monitor, or even a bed, she said in a recent interview.

'System is in crisis': Union reports 350 per cent capacity at RUH emergency roomAn evening shift this week at Royal University Hospital, during which emergency room capacity exceeded 350 per cent, is another sign of a health-care system in need of a major overhaul, say unions and the Saskatchewan NDP.Julia Peterson, 03 Oct 2024Fire inspection at St. Paul's Hospital finds fire codes not met due to overcrowdingSaskatoon Fire Department inspectors who recently visited St. Paul’s Hospital found fire code requirements pertaining to clear pathways and access to exits weren’t being met due to overcrowded hallways.Saskatoon StarPhoenix, 11 Nov 2023