Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
“We have six out of eight full time obstetrics staff who are going to be off on maternity leave, so we are closing, temporarily, our obstetrical unit from April 28 until mid-September,” said Mary-Lou Albers, clinical services manager for the Listowel Memorial Hospital.
Albers said the six registered nurses who will be on maternity leave this summer are all expected to return. She said the hospital executive, and nurses themselves, looked at every solution to try and keep the hospital’s maternity ward open, but just couldn’t find an answer that worked.
“The closest obstetrical units are in Kitchener, Stratford, Hanover, Walkerton, and Goderich. Families will be working with their primary care providers, physicians, midwife, nurse practitioners to put together a plan,” said Listowel Memorial Hospital CEO Karl Ellis.
While there won’t be any babies born in Listowel’s maternity ward this summer, as 130 babies are typically delivered in Listowel’s obstetrics unit each year.
The obstetrics unit at the Listowel Memorial Hospital, seen on March 28, 2024, will close from April 28 to mid-September, because six of eight registered nurses in the department are going on maternity leave. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)
One-third with midwives, and two-thirds use the hospital’s physicians, according to Ellis.
While some “temporary closures” of emergency rooms across Ontario have become permanent ER closures due to nursing shortages, Ellis and Albers are both extremely confident Listowel’s obstetrics closure will indeed just be for the summer.
“We have a dedicated group of physicians, leadership staff, and nursing staff in this area. They are collectively committed to seeing this service resume in mid-September,” said Ellis.
“They [the nurses] are choosing to grow their families here, and they are all really passionate about obstetrics. So, I’m very confident we are going to have our obstetrical department back mid-September, as planned,” said Albers.
You can learn more about the temporary OB closure by visiting their website.
The obstetrics unit at the Listowel Memorial Hospital, seen on March 28, 2024, will close from April 28 to mid-September, because six of eight registered nurses in the department are going on maternity leave. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Health minister 'deeply appreciative' of doctors but capital gains changes here to stay
Health Minister Mark Holland says while he is 'deeply appreciative' of the work doctors in Canada do, the federal government has no plans to scrap the proposed capital gains tax changes outlined in the latest budget, despite opposition from the Canadian Medical Association.
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
What Trudeau's podcast appearances say about the Liberals' next ballot box question
Trudeau recently appeared on four podcasts as he travels the country talking up the Liberals' latest budget, which he's pitching as a plan to inject more economic fairness into society for those under 40 — a cohort that has kept Trudeau in power since 2015 but is increasingly turning to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
Passage of harsh anti-2SLGBTQ+ law in Iraq draws diplomatic backlash
Human rights groups and diplomats criticized a law that was quietly passed by the Iraqi parliament over the weekend that would impose heavy prison sentences on gay and transgender people.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
A munitions explosion at a Cambodian army base kills 20 soldiers, but its cause is unclear
Security was tight around a military base in southwestern Cambodia on Sunday, a day after a huge explosion there killed 20 soldiers, wounded others and damaged nearby houses.
California Disney characters are unionizing decades after Florida peers. Hollywood plays a role
California performers are organizing to be represented by a union now, more than four decades after their Florida counterparts did so.