TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – With a recent spike in hospitalizations and CDC data linking most of those to unvaccinated patients, Stormont Vail Health is gracious for staff that have stepped up to work extra hours to care for the additional patients.
Stormont Vail Health says CDC data indicates the rates of hospitalizations associated with COVID-19 in December were higher in unvaccinated adults compared to those who were fully vaccinated and had booster doses.
For adults 50-64, Stormont also said the hospitalization rate was 45 times higher in December for those who were unvaccinated compared to those who were fully vaccinated with a booster. For the 65 and older age group, it said hospitalization rates were 51 times higher among unvaccinated adults.
Stormont Vail said team members have expanded the health network’s capacity to care for patients during the previous spike in hospitalizations.
On Monday, Feb. 14, the health network said due to eight primary nurses being available through the Labor Pool in addition to regular hospital staff, it was able to care for 25 additional medical-surgical patients and four intensive care patients.
In addition, Stormont said it had two RN extenders through the Labor Pool to help care for 12 patients in the Transitional Care Unit.
With the workforce shortage, the health network said these efforts made by staff are crucial to its ability to care for patients in the region. These shifts in schedules team members have provided have also provided the hospital with a greater ability to care for clinic patients who need hospitalization and to accept a greater number of appropriate transfer patients from within the region.
Stormont Vail said it acknowledges that team members have had to make personal sacrifices to work additional or changed shifts and it sincerely appreciates each team member helping with the effort.
As of Tuesday, Feb. 15, Stormont said there were 54 COVID-positive inpatients, 85% of which were unvaccinated. There were 12 patients discharged from Monday. There were also 23 COVID-positive patients in the outpatient Enhanced Primary Care program.
In the past seven days, the health network said 20.5% of residents tested for COVID at its facilities tested positive.
Also as of Tuesday, there were 87 team members and four providers on contact leave for COVID-19.
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