Several nurses at St. Paul’s Hospital have reached out to the provincial NDP, fearful that someone will die in the waiting room before they are able to receive proper care.

Health Critic Vicki Mowat says the emergency room is currently in a state of chaos, even worse than when nurses were protesting in November.

“Healthcare workers have been given no other choice but to treat people in hallways and in ambulatory care in violation of the fire code. Forty-one patients are currently stuck waiting in the ER for a transfer to a hospital bed, because there are so few free beds in the hospital.”

She says one patient has been stuck waiting for over 140 hours, or six days. At least eight patients have waited for over 100 hours, or four days, to get to a bed.

Mowat says this treatment is unacceptable. She says the Sask. Party’s Saskatoon Capacity Pressure Action Plan is obviously not working and suggests creating a task force of health care workers who can guide the government when it comes to retention of workers. She also suggests a total reform of the ambulance system.