New ICU at NRGH ready for patients

People in Nanaimo and area will have greater access to care as a new 12-bed intensive care unit (ICU) at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital opens for patients on Wednesday, June 28, 2023.

"The new, expanded ICU brings health-care services closer to home for people in Nanaimo and surrounding areas," said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. "We heard the needs of people in Nanaimo, and I'm proud that our government responded with a new ICU that provides both a technological upgrade and an expansion in size to provide better health-care services."

The ICU includes larger single-patient rooms; ceiling-mounted service booms and overhead patient lifts; a medication room; and a family consult room. The ICU will be south of the current emergency department.

"We all want better health care for people, so we delivered on a new ICU that Nanaimo can count on," said Sheila Malcolmson, MLA for Nanaimo. "A new ICU for Nanaimo means more people can get vital, urgent health care." 

Construction also continues on a new 12-bed high-acuity unit (HAU) at the hospital, which will provide patients with more acute care and closer monitoring than a general hospital ward, but requires fewer resources than an ICU.

The new HAU will replace the current, temporary eight-bed unit. If there is an influx of patients requiring ICU-level care, the new HAU will be equipped to support these patients and provide the same level of monitoring and care as the ICU. The HAU is slated to open in summer 2024.

BACKGROUNDER
What people are saying about the new Nanaimo ICU

Doug Routley, MLA for Nanaimo-North Cowichan - 

"It's fantastic to see the new ICU completion, which is triple the size of the original ICU. The region of Nanaimo is experiencing a lot of growth right now and this new space will deliver quality, critical care for generations to come."

Adam Walker, MLA for Parksville-Qualicum - 

"It's important that people in Nanaimo and the surrounding areas get access to critical care when they need it. This new ICU will help people in their most vulnerable moments get quality care, and I'm grateful to see the unit open for the community."

Leah Hollins, chair, Island Health -

"It is fantastic to see construction complete on the new ICU. It will provide our care teams at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital with the space they need to deliver safe quality care. This new space is equipped to provide patients with specialized care, which will help save lives and support the critical care needs of the people we serve."

Ian Thorpe, chair, Nanaimo Regional Hospital District - 

"The Nanaimo Regional Hospital District is pleased the new intensive care unit at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital is ready to take patients. This modern, well-equipped ICU will enable the hospital's highly skilled and dedicated medical team to better respond to our region's critical care needs. We are proud to be a funding partner of this essential investment in health care that will serve central and north Island residents for years to come."

Barney Ellis-Perry, chief executive officer, Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation - 

"The Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation is awed and humbled by the unprecedented showing of support from the central Island community who rose to the challenge and donated over $5 million to equip the new ICU. We know this investment will positively impact health outcomes in the region, and help to retain and recruit top medical staff talent to the region."