PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Local hospitals continue to deal with a shortage of intravenous (IV) fluids after Hurricane Helene shut down a manufacturing plant in North Carolina earlier this month.

Experts at Brown Health said there is no reason to panic or avoid seeking medical care, but a trip to the emergency room may look a little different.

Dr. Anthony Napoli, executive vice chair of emergency medicine at Brown Health, said the emergency department has been conserving IV fluids for the past several weeks.

“We focus on ensuring we have adequate supplies for the patients that are the most critically ill,” Napoli explained. “Beyond that, we focus on conserving fluids and transitioning patients… to oral rehydration.”

No elective surgeries have been cancelled yet, but that could change.

Dr. Dean Roye, chief medical officer at Rhode Island and Hasbro Children’s hospitals, said he expects impacts to last through the end of the year.

“But that’s also somewhat in flux,” he added.

This shortage also comes on the heels of a years-long blood shortage.

“Unfortunately, this is not a major difference from what we’ve experienced for the last several years,” Napoli said. “The COVID pandemic, the staffing shortages … these type of things are sort of business as usual, things we’ve come to try and expect and have gotten pretty good at planning for.”

The National Library of Medicine said violence against healthcare workers also remains a growing problem. Both Napoli and Roye agree that the IV shortage hasn’t helped.

“We’ve seen some of that with respect to this intravenous fluid shortage,” Napoli said, “but not nearly at the levels we got early post-pandemic.”

Brown Health is asking everyone to have patience with health care workers as they manage both shortages.

“Everybody is trying their best, and some grace and consideration for the people that are providing life-saving care to you or your loved ones is greatly appreciated,” Roye said. “Nobody really goes into healthcare looking for a pat on the back or a ‘thank you so much,’ but it certainly does help when we hear it.”

If you would like to help with the blood shortage, you can make an appointment to donate to the Rhode Island Blood Center by clicking here or by calling (401) 453-8383.

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