PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee today announced an update on efforts to increase capacity and provide relief for hospitals facing a staffing shortage exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Rhode Island National Guard is providing an additional 30 personnel to support 10 Rhode Island hospitals.
This is in addition to the personnel mobilized to support Butler Hospital and relieve pressure on other hospital emergency departments.
"I am truly grateful to General Callahan and the National Guard for their consistent support in this effort and throughout the pandemic," said Governor McKee. "This is the result of weeks of close coordination between my office, the Rhode Island National Guard, the Rhode Island Department of Health, the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency and local hospital leadership and is an important part of our strategy to support hospital staffing."
Members will be deployed to hospitals starting this week.
National Guard assignments will be as follows:
Eleanor Slater Hospital - 6 will provide support augmenting security and screening stations in the Adolf Meyer, Benton and Regan buildings
Fatima Hospital - 2 will provide patient transportation within hospital and serve as waiting area attendants
Kent Hospital - 1 will provide patient transportation within hospital - 1 will support close circuit patient monitoring - 2 will serve as COVID-19 screeners
Landmark Hospital - 1 will provide patient transportation within hospital - 1 will serve as a COVID-19 screener
Miriam Hospital - 4 will provide patient transportation within hospital
Newport Hospital - 1 will provide patient transportation within hospital - 1 will serve as a COVID-19 screener
Rhode Island Hospital - 4 will serve as waiting room attendants
Roger Williams Medical Center - 1 will provide patient transportation within hospital - 1 will serve as a waiting room attendant and provide transportation
South County Hospital - 2 will provide patient transportation within hospital and serve as waiting room attendants
Women and Infants Hospital - 2 will provide close circuit patient monitoring
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