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Nanaimo ICU campaign answers critical need

ICU delivers amazing care to the region’s most seriously ill patients, despite outdated facilities
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As part of the more than $33-million budget to build a new ICU, the Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation is raising a minimum of $5 million for new medical equipment.

The medical teams working in the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital Intensive Care Unit do amazing work in a space that is more than 50 years old. In fact, they have been deemed one of the best in Canada for their patient outcomes.

Imagine what they could do with a purpose-built space that accommodates today’s equipment and technology!

“This has been needed for years,” says Janice Perrino, Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation CEO. “The work the ICU team does is just about impossible in this environment, but they do it. If I needed care, there isn’t anywhere else I would want to be than here.”

The need

Built in 1970 and serving the 400,000 Vancouver Island residents living north of the Malahat, the hospital’s ICU is out of date and challenged to handle the needs of this growing population.

In addition to treating patients with severe, life-threatening illnesses and injuries, such as heart attacks, traumatic injury and major infections, Nanaimo’s ICU is also one of only two hospitals on Vancouver Island that receives COVID-19 patients. ICU patients are the sickest of the sick, requiring constant monitoring with the concentrated support from a team of specialized medical staff. Yet cramped spaces make it difficult to accommodate medical equipment, staff and family members.

Despite being among the oldest ICUs in B.C. and one of the most in need of expansion in all of Canada, NRGH’s ICU ranks near the top nationally for positive patient health outcomes. This is a testament to the skill and dedication of the ICU team.

“I am very proud of the team I lead in the ICU at NRGH. Every day, they are overcoming the challenges to provide excellent patient care,” says Dr. Michael Kenyon, ICU Lead Physician. “Built 50 years ago and with only one third of full life-support beds per 100,000 residents compared to the national average, we are in desperate need of an upgrade. With a new ICU, our team will have the space, latest medical equipment and resources needed to meet the growing demand for critical care.”

The vision – and how you can help realize it

The time has come to expand and modernize Nanaimo’s ICU.

“The new ICU will help our team provide excellent care in a state of the art design with focus on serving our community, families and patients’ needs,” said Kelly McColm, Manager, ICU and Respiratory Therapy. “Increasing our number of beds will also help us support a higher level of care for patients needing critical care from the smaller rural communities on Vancouver Island.”

As part of the more than $33-million budget to build a new ICU, the Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation is raising a minimum of $5 million for all the new medical equipment.

“With the support of the community, we must reach our goal,” added Janice. “Providing a modern state-of-the-art space for our medical teams allows them to continue delivering exceptional levels of patient care for our communities.”

To donate and for more information, visit nanaimohospitalfoundation.com/ICU or call the Hospital Foundation at 250-755-7690.