'Tripledemic' impacts Texas hospitals amid ongoing staffing crisis

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Statewide cases of influenza (flu), COVID-19 and RSV are not only affecting families but hospitals too as they deal with the ongoing staffing crisis. 

Kirstine Openshaw’s four-year-old son has a congenital heart defect and her nine-month-old son is a preemie with laryngomalacia. Both got sick. 

“It was pretty miserable, it was pretty bad,” said Openshaw. “We had quite a few sleepless nights where he was just having a real hard time breathing, keeping them inclined, doing a lot of breathing treatments.” 

According to Dallas station, WFAA, many hospitals across the state have been experiencing a surge, leaving them with no free beds, and hospitals are encouraging families to call their pediatricians before going to the ER. 

“We really only take them in if it's really bad, and we really honestly can't deal with it at home,” said Openshaw. “We're always pretty conscious about not wasting time taking him in because of exposure for him for something else.” 

Recent hospital data by the Texas Department of State Health Services shows on Tuesday, Austin hospitals had a total of 251 beds available and zero pediatric ICU beds available. 

The surge in cases is not offering any relief for the health care industry as they deal with an ongoing staffing crisis. 

“We definitely have a shortage of all kinds of health care providers right now.... It's been exacerbated by COVID,” Rep. Donna Howard (D-48) said. 

Legislators are aware of the ongoing staffing shortage and determining the causes is an essential component of solving the problem. 

“There are so many factors here that are working toward why we have a shortage,” said Howard. “We’ve got to do more to invest in the workforce pipeline with education, reimbursement, tuition assistance, getting the faculty in place — all those things are going to be significantly important to get the workforce that we need."

Previous legislation, S.B. 244, sponsored by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-18) gave support to nursing-related postsecondary education which included loan repayment assistance to nursing staff. 

In anticipation of the upcoming legislative session, Howard has refiled H.B. 112, which aims to prevent workplace violence at health care facilities — a factor that may be influencing the ongoing staffing crisis in hospitals. 

“Unfortunately, [workplace violence] has been considered by many over the years to just be a part of the job. And it's not been reported. We're trying to change that culture and have been working on that for years now to where it's encouraged that this behavior be reported that hospitals do all they can to prevent it in the first place, but then provide appropriate security and interventions, and absolutely provide treatment if indeed, some trauma is experienced,” said Howard. 

Monica Madden will have a full report at 6 p.m. on KXAN News.