SMH experiences staffing issues due to COVID-19

Sheridan Memorial Hospital has faced many challenges over the last two years amid the COVID-19 pandemic; staffing issues resulting from the high demand of traveling nurse positions, the challenge of transferring patients to other hospitals for higher level of care, varying levels of surges in case numbers and the list goes on. 

SMH leadership and staff understand the public has become exhausted from dealing with the COVID-19 virus and one can only imagine how exhausted that leadership and staff at SMH has become after almost two years of battling a virus of unprecedented magnitude.  

Amid the delta and omicron variants (omicron was officially detected in Sheridan last week) those challenges remain with the addition of shortages of staff due to illness.   

During a SMH leadership meeting, Chief Executive Officer Mike McCafferty said the shortage of staff can be worked around without too much concern, as long as the hospitalization rate remains low.

Positive case numbers of the virus in Sheridan County have increased sharply over the course of the last few weeks, largely believed to be the result of the highly transmissible omicron variant. SMH Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Addlesperger said this rate of transmission and the number of days hospitalized patients are requiring is consistent with the pattern of the omicron variant. 

According to COVID-19 Public Information Officer Jennifer Graves, as of Jan. 13, there are 142 active cases of COVID-19 in Sheridan County.