November 2005 saw us breaking ground for the new $16 million Maternal & Infant Care wing at NRGH. With over 1,100 births per year, the hospital's maternity and nursery facilities have been in need of expansion for some time. Completion is scheduled for April 2007.
The new facilities will feature family-centred care that keeps mothers and newborns in a single, private room for the duration of their hospital stay. Called LBRPs - labour/birth/recovery/postnatal - these suites can also accommodate family members, allowing them to share fully in the birth experience.
The wing will include a Level II Special Care Nursery to deliver advanced care to over 350 critically ill infants yearly. This important enhancement means that more babies can be treated here at home. Fewer will need to travel to Victoria or Vancouver, and those that must still be transferred for Level III care can return home sooner.
Says Jo'Anne Yearley, Manager of Child, Youth & Family Programs for the Vancouver Island Health Authority: "This facility is an investment in children and families. It will help us provide the best possible start we can."
For more information, please call our office at 250-755-7690; toll free 248-2332 in Parksville/Qualicum.
