Construction has begun on a $41-million intensive care unit at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital — one that will replace what a 2013 Island Health report deemed the “worst” ICU in Canada.
Expected to open in early 2023, the new ICU will be three times its current size. It will include 12 larger single-patient rooms — each with washrooms and hand-washing sinks — and a family consult room.
It will also include a high-acuity unit and a transitional place for patients who need less monitoring than those in intensive care but more than those on a general ward.
Island Health submitted a formal request in 2017 to replace the current 10-bed ICU, which was built in 1970.
In 2018 the province announced the project would be built at a cost of $33.85 million, but a two-year delay increased the price tag by more than $7 million. The difference was due in part to Nanaimo’s “overheated” construction market and a shortage of skilled trades, Island Health said.
The city of Nanaimo also required 64 additional parking spaces beyond what were planned. Consultation with user groups resulted in more equipment being added.
A 2013 external review that looked at three of Island Health’s ICUs said the physical condition of the Nanaimo unit was “by far the worst ICU we have seen in Canada.”
“There are multiple factors that cause this area to be a risk to patients as well as staff: The limited size, layout and lack of storage space create numerous safety issues,” the review said. “This impacts the ability of the team to safely transport patients into and out of the ICU as well as within the unit.”
The report recommended replacement.
Nanaimo NDP MLA Sheila Malcolmson said the community has been advocating for years for a new ICU.
Fellow Nanaimo-Cowichan NDP MLA Doug Routley said ICU demand is expected to increase in coming years due to a growing population, especially in older adults.
There were 393 ICU admissions at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital in 2020. That number is anticipated to grow to approximately 428 by 2023, according to the health authority.
The cost of the $41.57 million new ICU and will be shared between the provincial government through Island Health, the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District, and the Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation.
The province says the project will create approximately 200 direct and 100 indirect jobs. The new ICU will be located south of the current emergency department.
“This past year has demonstrated how crucial it is to invest in and maintain a strong public health-care system,” said B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix in a statement.
