Northwest Texas Hospital, Amarillo
/ File photo
AMARILLO, TEXAS -- When a nurse feels she has been asked to perform an assignment she believes is unsafe for a patient, she can invoke something called "safe harbor".
Saturday afternoon, a nurse decided to do that at Northwest Texas Hospital.
"The nurse called a safe harbor but in a very short period of time it was rescinded because we were able to bring in the appropriate staff," said Caytie Martin, Northwest Texas Hospital spokesperson.
Anonymously, one nurse called Pronews Seven to tell us about her concerns.
She said she has worked at the hospital for many years, and said she was worried about the situation and concerned the emergency room could be closed down temporarily.
The ER was not shut down but it did have some overcrowding.
"We experienced a surge in our patient population," said Martin. "So because of that surge we went on diversion, that means we do not accept any ambulance traffic."
In that situation, if a patient is being transported by ambulance, he would have to be taken to another accepting facility.
"We continue to except trauma and stemis-which is with the heart because that is by law."
They also continue to accept walk-ins.
But again, Martin says Northwest Texas Hospital was able to rescind the safe harbor call quickly.
Nurses who call safe harbor have the chance to go to a peer review and explain what they feel is best for them and their patients.
The nurse in Saturday's scenario will not suffer any repercussions -- including repercussions with a nursing license.
