Staffing and treatment shortages, burnout: Kentucky healthcare workers talk Omicron surge

Last week, Kentucky recorded its highest COVID-19 positivity rate ever, with 56,603 new cases.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – The Omicron variant, while less virulent, is highly contagious, and it’s overwhelming Kentucky healthcare facilities. Last week, Kentucky’s COVID-19 positivity rate was the highest ever, with 56,603 reported new cases.

“We are definitely seeing a spike of folks being seen and testing positive for the COVID-19 virus, specifically the Omicron variant,” said St. Joseph Hospital Director of Emergency Services Todd Gilbert.

To assist overwhelmed hospitals, 445 Kentucky National Guardsmen were deployed to 30 different hospitals in Kentucky. Baptist Health in Lexington will be receiving assistance starting Friday. At UK Albert B. Chandler Hospital, Guardsmen have been assisting the facility since October. According to Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Guardsmen are assisting at some of its larger locations.

“Their function is to help with checking inpatients and sometimes they help with cleaning and housekeeping services, keeping everything organized,” said Dr. Fares Khater, Appalachian Regional Healthcare’s Chief Infectious Disease Specialist.

Among these hospitals, nursing shortages, due to either burnout or sickness, is creating emergency department back-ups.

“We’re seeing a lot of nurses for both reasons of burnout or COVID contraction who are no longer able to work and no longer able to take care of patients either in the emergency department or up on the floors.” said Dr. Mark Spanier, Baptist Health’s Medical Director of the Emergency Department.

Hospitals are also experiencing extreme shortages of the monoclonal antibody therapy, called sotrovimab, effective against the Omicron variant. The antibody therapy can be a life-saving outpatient treatment.

“Now, with omicron, the readily-available monoclonal antibody is not very effective. The one that’s really effective is in extremely short supply,” said Dr. Spanier.

In addition to these shortages, hospitals are experiencing an influx of people coming to emergency departments simply to get tested. The healthcare workers are recommending that if you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 or believe you have it and are only experiencing mild symptoms, to get tested at a testing center rather than an emergency department. This is to ensure that the most sick patients get treated quickly, and hospitals don’t continue to get overwhelmed with patients.

“Our emergency departments and our hospitals are overwhelmed and if you show up for routine testing, you’ll be delaying care of more critical patients,” said Dr. Spanier.

The healthcare professionals say the best way to help fight the Omicron surge is to use the tools that have been proven to work and available for a while now: masks, social distancing, and getting vaccinated and boosted.

“Please, to everybody who’s listening today, please get vaccinated. And if you are vaccinated, please get boosted. The only way to stay out of the hospital and definitely the ICU is to get fully vaccinated and boosted,” said Dr. Khater.

If you are in need of a COVID test and are looking for a testing location, click here to find a testing location in your area.