Medical facilities across the state reported critical worker shortages last month as the omicron variant caused COVID-19 cases to skyrocket. Northern Arizona’s largest hospital chain now says staffing levels have improved.
In mid-January Northern Arizona Healthcare said about 8% of its approximately 3,700 employees were out with COVID. Now that number has fallen to about 4% as cases nationally and throughout Arizona have leveled off.
NAH manages the Flagstaff and Verde Valley medical centers among other facilities. Officials say they’re currently operating under what’s called a contingency standard of care, which allows them to adjust operations based on staffing levels and other factors.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says health care staff can return to work five days after a positive test or when symptoms start as long as they’re improving. But hospitals are allowed to bring back asymptomatic COVID-positive employees even earlier if they’re facing critical staff shortages, something NAH officials say they did not have to do. At least one Arizona hospital, however, did allow some employees to return before the five-day mark last month.
Staffing continues to be an ongoing challenge at NAH. In January, officials say the company had around 700 open positions including 200 nursing jobs, and they’re supplementing the workforce with travel employees.
