NCH cites affordable housing issues as a factor in increasing ER wait times

The number of COVID-19 patients in Southwest Florida is down, but emergency room wait times are up. The cause could be linked to the ongoing affordable housing crisis.

Every day is a constant battle. The nursing director at NCH told Collier County Commissioners Tuesday that without help, the hospital will continue to struggle to find and keep enough nurses.

“The staff, you know we do what we have to do as nurses to pick up. We work overtime. I’m in scrubs because I live on the floor. I don’t live in the office as a director. I live on the floor because I have to,” said the Director of 4N Cardiac NCH Healthcare System, Nicole Tregea.

Tregea oversees the largest cardiac unit in Collier County. Her public plea is for affordable housing. “The struggle is real. We are doing a great job at NCH of training new nurses, but we can’t keep them,” said Tregea.

​Tregea told the commissioners that NCH recently did a survey and found that 40% of staff commute 45 minutes or more, but that’s just scratching the surface of the problem.

“I got another one that drives from Tampa, and when she comes down here, she actually, and this is true, stays in her car, works her three shifts and then drives back to Tampa. Then I have another one that comes here and actually has the luxury to live in his van,” said Eric Macino, director of patient flow and nursing registry at NCH.

NCH COO Jon Kling said NCH is trying to get creative with incentives. “The difficulties of finding a house here in Collier County or Southwest Florida is real. It’s a challenge, but like I said, we’re really working hard to be creative with partners in the community to look at solutions for our essential workers,” said Kling.

The problem with tuition assistance, loan programs, even extra shifts is that none of that puts a roof over anyone’s head.

Despite that, NCH wants everyone to know they have enough doctors and nurses to take care of everyone.

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