NI nurses expected to work in Belfast’s Nightingale Hospital

The BBC are reporting about the move as the number of critically ill patients increases.

Last night the six health trusts warned that by the third week of January, NI hospitals could be dealing with double the number of Covid patients.

According to the report, once Craigavon Hospital reaches 16 patients in ICU, the 17th patient will be transferred to the Nightingale.

One of its critical care nurses will go there as well.

The Nightingale, at Belfast City Hospital’s tower block, reopened in October.

The document outlines how many staff will be expected to work at the Nightingale’s “pods” as the number of covid patients grows.

It also highlights the pressure hospitals will come under for intensive care unit (ICU) beds and nurses if numbers increase.

Coronavirus NI - Death toll jumps to 1,460 and 1,112 test positive with virus

_________________________________

A message from our editor: Thank you for reading this article. We’re more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

Please consider purchasing a copy of the paper. You can also support trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription of the News Letter.