Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital Emergency Room Closed Overnight

Clearwater and surrounding area residents have been alerted to another overnight closure of the Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital emergency room starting at 6 p.m. Monday, July 8, and ending at 7 a.m. Tuesday, July 9. The closure is due to “limited nurse availability,” according to the Interior Health Authority (IHA).

“Another overnight closure is especially concerning given the heat we’re experiencing right now,” said Clearwater Mayor Merlin Blackwell. “I get emails every day about emergency department closures across the IHA. Knowing where to go is critical, as is having robust capacity with our ambulance service to help when hospitals can’t.”

“All options for filling nursing positions should be considered,” he added. “Housing, signing bonuses, temporary and traveling nurses, rehiring staff who have left or been forced to leave due to the vaccination mandate: all options should be considered.”

Karen Cooper, Executive Director of Clinical Operations, Cariboo/South Cariboo at Interior Health, recently released a statement on the current nursing shortage.

“We know that changes to regular services are concerning to the people of Clearwater and the surrounding area, especially when they affect the Emergency Department at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital,” she noted. “Our top priority is to maintain services at all times, and everyone at the hospital is working hard to maintain those regular services.”

“Our staff at the hospital are currently working under difficult conditions, and I can’t thank the entire team enough. They go above and beyond the call of duty every day.”

The Clearwater District, Dr. Helmcken’s leadership and physicians have worked hand in hand when it comes to recruiting doctors and nurses. Councillor Shelley Sim, who has been active in physician recruitment and is the community and recruitment coordinator for the Thompson Division, believes there is a lot to be said for the quality of life in Wells Gray County and the North Thompson Valley.

“In a competitive environment where nurses are in high demand across B.C., positive community stories help shape impressions and can be attractive to candidates considering Clearwater,” said Sim. “With physician recruitment, we always get a lot of interest from candidates when they see images of our backyard. Candidates do their research, and local photos and stories are part of the recruitment efforts.”

“We have a recently graduated nurse who joined our team at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital in early June, and she is already in training to begin supporting the emergency department starting in mid-July,” Cooper said.

“We have implemented a variety of strategies to stabilize staffing levels in Clearwater. We are providing a travel allowance to and from Clearwater, as well as meals and accommodations for visiting nurses. We are offering three months of free accommodation for new nurses, and nurses new to Interior Health are eligible for a $20,000 signing bonus. We are also advertising nursing vacancies in Clearwater across Canada.”

Patients are advised to attend the emergency department at either the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops or the 100 Mile House District General Hospital during this time. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at the Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital.

An IH advisory states that individuals in the community who require emergency care for life-threatening situations (i.e., chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 to be transported to the nearest available and appropriate facility.

Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency medical information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days a week.