Beginning today, the number of surgical cases performed at C.L. Werner Hospital and Hixson Lied operating rooms will be reduced. It’s an effort to protect bed capacity and reduce the amount of stress on inpatient nurses at Nebraska Medical Center.
On Aug. 26, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts announced two measures to help hospitals in the state address their staffing needs.
The first was an executive order to expand the pool of health care professionals who are eligible to provide care in the state. This includes waivers that allow hospitals to credential retired or inactive health care providers, a deferral of certain continuing education requirements and makes it easier for new providers seeking a license to begin practice.
The governor also issued a Directed Health Measure (DHM) to respond to the staffing shortage hospitals across the state are experiencing, effective today. The DHM suspends elective surgeries that can safely wait four weeks or longer. Nebraska Medicine already has taken that step. The DHM is set to expire Thursday, Sept. 30, as of now.
"We appreciate the governor’s acknowledgment of and assistance with our staffing issues," said Harris Frankel, MD, Nebraska Medicine chief medical officer. "Our ongoing drawdown of elective surgical cases requiring inpatient beds aligns with the DHM. As we have said, this will help us to ensure our clinical teams are sized appropriately for the number and severity of patients requiring hospitalization, with an emphasis on reducing the burden of our nursing workforce.
"The governor also encouraged all Nebraskans to get vaccinated," Dr. Frankel said. "We also encourage everyone to follow CDC guidelines on masking and gathering until higher rates of vaccination are achieved."