LEWISTON, Maine — Editor's note: The above video aired on Dec. 14.
Seventeen members of the Maine National Guard are helping staff and patients at Central Maine Medical Center.
Central Maine Healthcare's CEO Steve Littleson said the members will help reopen a unit that has been closed for two months because of staffing issues, some due to the vaccine mandate. He said it has created a bottleneck.
"Patients have been sitting in our hospital with no place to go because long-term care facilities are also full and also suffering from workforce shortages. This unit is really going to enable us to open more beds and admit more patients," Littleson said.
The unit will provide 16 additional beds. National Guard members will be helping in non-clinical ways like monitoring patients, taking their vitals, and welcoming visitors.
CMMC has applied to also get help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency but is waiting to hear back.
Roughly 75 Maine National Guard members will be helping hospitals across the state.