With a workforce reduced by 50% and a demand that continues to increase, emergency doctors at Martigues hospital try every day to treat patients as best as possible, who sometimes have to wait more than five hours to see a doctor.
For several weeks, hospitals have been under tension. The combination of the flu, Covid-19 and bronchiolitis epidemics is putting healthcare establishments and staff under pressure when the sector is already in crisis. This is the case in Martigues where, every day, the waiting time in the emergency room exceeds several hours.
Sandrine, a nurse, continues to consult patients who do not always require “emergency” care and who could be taken care of by general practitioners.
“They often find themselves faced with appointments which are often very far away, doctors who are not necessarily available, medical centers which are saturated”, deplores Sandrine at the microphone of BFMTV.
“People find themselves repatriated to the emergency room because they need to be taken care of and reassured”, summarizes the nurse.
A lack of beds… and arms
In the corridors, overloaded, it is mainly elderly people who are waiting. And finding a place for them is a real headache: the lack of a bed is a problem, as is the lack of arms.
“We are at about a 50% deficit. With half the workforce, we are trying to hold our organizations. This requires a multiplication of attendances”, summarizes hospital practitioner André Mazille at the microphone of BFMTV.
The workload is therefore much higher than expected for caregivers. In one day, they sometimes have to take care of more than 150 patients. And the tension is more and more heavy for Michael, who puts on his blouse every day with apprehension.
In charge of daily activities, he is sometimes called by patients who need help to go to the toilet. “We tell them: ‘we’ll be back,’ but when we go back, sometimes they say they got hurt,” says Michael.
“It’s hurtful for the person and for you it questions you, because you are mistreating,” he laments. “You are mistreating”, insists the nurse. “And that’s all we don’t want.”
