RI National Guard Deploying To Butler Hospital To Bolster Staff

PROVIDENCE, RI — As Rhode Island's health care system struggles to meet the demand of the latest pandemic surge while facing staffing shortages, Gov. Dan McKee has once again called in reinforcements. About 60 members of the National Guard will deploy to Butler Hospital to bolster staffing, he announced Wednesday.

Increasing staffing at Butler will create greater capacity at the facility, McKee explained, meaning that other hospitals will have the ability to send transfers of non-critical patients. This will, in turn, lower the strain on other hospitals in the state, he said.

The announcement comes after about 180 members of the National Guard were deployed to help with testing and vaccination efforts.

Major General Christopher Callahan explained Wednesday that "some calculus" is needed when calling up National Guard members to staff health care facilities, since they do not want to cause new staffing shortages in prisons, police departments or emergency services in the process.

State leaders are taking other several approaches to addressing staffing shortages, as well. Currently, a plan is being developed to expand emergency licenses to recent nursing graduates, McKee said, which would allow them 120 days to complete all necessary exams and licensure while working.

"There are many nurses who just graduated in December and are eager to work," McKee said.

In addition, the state is working with the Community College of Rhode Island to have advanced nursing students start their in-hospital rotations a semester early, which would allow students to offer support to health care workers.

Finally, state leaders have been in conversations with cities and towns, discussing deploying municipal resources like EMTs and paramedics to cover staff shortages as needed in health care facilities.

Related: RI's COVID-19 Rate Tops 20%, Hospitalizations Near 2020 Peak