The Calgary Health Region needs to close about 30 beds on most days because of a staff shortage, particularly of nurses.

Jack Davis, chief executive of the health authority, said on Thursday as many as 70 beds are closed on any given day to ensure patient safety.

Jack Davis, chief executive of the health authority, says as many as 70 beds are closed on any given day to ensure patient safety.
(CBC News)

"We have to have a certain ratio of nurses to patients. When we have vacancies that don't allow us to maintain that ratio, we take beds out of commission."

The shortage has meant a "small number" of elected surgeries have had to be rescheduled, he said.

"In 2007, people should expect long waits when the system is under pressure," Davis said. "Our waits are generally better than in other major centres in Canada, but they are still too long."

Union wants more nurses, better working conditions

Davis said the health region is trying to solve the problem by recruiting nurses internationally, as well as from nursing schools.

The province should put more money into training nurses in Alberta rather than poach from other short-staffed provinces, said Michelle Senkow, spokeswoman for Alberta's nurses union.

"I really feel we need to train in Alberta and keep in Alberta," she said.

Nurses also need better working conditions to avoid burnout, she said.

"We are losing senior nurses, we are losing junior nurses to competition which is not only nursing fields, but to the airlines, Tim Hortons, places like that. Where they feel respected and feel they can do a good job with what they are provided."