Hospital staffing shortage worries some seniors

ALPENA, Mich. — A staffing shortage at MidMichigan Health has some area seniors worried.  At issue issue is the lengthy wait to see a visiting nurse.  Peggy Dachenhaus of Hubbard Lake said in the days following her husband’s surgery, the visiting nurses that came out to her home to provide wound care were a life saver, but now she and her husband as well as other neighbors are on a long waiting list.

“We call them our visiting angels. Now, to hear that it could be 10 days to two weeks to have someone come in is unacceptable,” said Dachenhaus. “We want to know what’s going on with MidMichigan Health and the services that are so needed in this area. There are some seniors that don’t have anyone to check on them,” she said.

When contacted by WBKB for a response, the hospital acknowledged the staffing shortage and provided the following written statement:

“Due to patient privacy, we are unable to speak to the inquiry you reference; however, we can confirm that our capacity to accept new patient referrals has been temporarily reduced due to staffing shortages. We are actively recruiting qualified candidates to fill those positions, and we continue to work closely with referral sources to ensure alternative arrangements can be made for the safety of our patients.”