Arizona hospitals and their ICUs are understaffed, reaching capacity
Several hospitals in Arizona have intensive care units that are understaffed, while across the state more are nearing capacity as ICU beds are filling with COVID-19 patients, according to data recently released by the federal government.
The data shows the burden being put on hospitals by COVID-19 in both rural and metropolitan parts of the state, with many reaching — and in some cases surpassing — occupancy levels not seen since the state’s infection levels peaked in July.
A few hospitals are also having issues in regards to staffing their ICU departments. There is already a shortage of ICU space, with a historically low number of beds available this week as the pandemic has worsened as November turned into December.
The HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center only had 58% of its ICU beds staffed in the final week of November, according to the data that hospitals report to the U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services. Currently, 19% of the hospital’s ICU beds are being taken up by COVID patients.
Read more: https://www.azmirror.com/2020/12/10/arizona-hospitals-and-their-icus-are-understaffed-reaching-capacity/