East Kootenay Regional Hospital will get a new neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) as renovation and expansion work has begun.
Work began on Monday, March 24, with construction impacting other care units in the meantime.
Interior Health says the current NICU was moved into the pediatrics area, limiting space for the pediatric and maternity units in the meantime.
“Patients may experience some disruptions or increased activity in the area of the NICU and the pediatrics unit while renovations are underway,” said Interior Health.
Renovation work will include new partitions, card access doors, ceilings, flooring, lighting, fixtures, a new secure medication room, a quiet feeding room, five workstations and a dictation area.
The NICU will also get some additional equipment, such as a video/intercom system, an infant abduction prevention system and hand hygiene sinks.
“We are very excited to be expanding our nursery space within the East Kootenay Regional Hospital. Our staff have been training for much of the past year to be able to provide safe care to these precious babies of the East Kootenays,” said Lindsay Hetu, executive director of clinical operations.
“We look forward to being able to keep families closer to home with this renovation. I would like to thank all the staff, physicians, the East Kootenay Regional Hospital District, The East Kootenay Foundation for Health, the Cranbrook Ladies Auxiliary, our communities and the Ministry of Health for making this possible.”
Interior Health says the renovation project and the new equipment are budgeted at $3.16 million.
Most of the funding came from the East Kootenay Foundation for Health through its Warm Embrace campaign, which raised $1.8 million.
Interior Health provided $816,000 for the projects and Kootenay East Regional Hospital District contributed $544,000.
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