A prominent children’s hospital in Ottawa will soon be receiving help from the Canadian Red Cross as it grapples with a massive wave of pediatric respiratory illnesses that have stretched resources to the breaking point, the organization announced Sunday.
CHEO, previously known as the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, requested the additional support amid a surge of admissions from children and youth.
Red Cross spokesperson Leianne Musselman said the organization will provide “small teams” to support hospital staff and allow them to focus on clinical tasks.
Musselman did not indicate a firm start date for the agreement, but CHEO Chief Nursing Executive Tammy DiGiovanni said a small contingent of Red Cross personnel would arrive as of next week to support clinical teams….