The emergency department of the General Hospital of Almonte closed on Tuesday night

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A nursing shortage due to illness led to the temporary closure of the emergency department at Almonte General Hospital on Tuesday evening.

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Closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday, the unit was due to reopen at 7 a.m. Wednesday, a late afternoon news release said, adding that the rest of the hospital remained open and continued patient care.

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« Patient and staff safety is our top priority, » said hospital CEO Mary Wilson Trider in the statement.

“Our dedicated teams at Almonte General Hospital and Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital continue to work to ensure we have the staff needed to support our community with their health care needs. We are closely supported by our Lanark County Paramedic Service team.

Anyone in the area in need of immediate medical attention was advised to call 911. Paramedics were to take those people to the nearest emergency department for treatment.

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These would include Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital, about 13 kilometers from Almonte; Arnprior Regional Health, 33 kilometers; Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital, 46 kilometres; and the Queensway-Carleton Hospital in Ottawa, 39 kilometers away.

Wednesday’s announcement said patients could also speak to a Telehealth Ontario registered nurse by calling toll-free 1-866-797-0000 or teletypewriter (TTY) 1-866-797-0007. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.