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The countdown has begun for the opening of the two patient care floors at the top of Vernon Jubilee Hospital’s Polson Tower.
“We’re very excited to be entering the final countdown for this project,” said Richard Harding, North Okanagan health services administrator.
Harding and Vernon-Monashee MLA Eric Foster unveiled a countdown clock at the front entrance of the tower, a visible reminder the two floors will open Jan. 31. On Monday, the clock read '55 days' left until the floors would open to patients.
Sixty patient care beds will be located on the new floors, but will only add 14 new beds overall to the hospital.
Once they're open, the hospital will go from 168 to 182 beds.
Harding still believes they will help alleviate the chronic patient overcrowding that has plagued the hospital for years.
“These beds are much needed for us here in Vernon,” admitted Harding. “These beds will alleviate that overcrowding for us currently.”
“It is significantly going to support us in our daily challenges around overcapacity, yes,” he stressed.
“We want to try and help, with these new facilities, to transition patients back to home or their residential setting where they need to be providing that care.”
Harding said most of the rooms are for one patient only. “That's one of the things we've been striving for out of this project. The benefits we get from having single patient rooms are increased privacy and also to help reduce hospital acquired infections.”
The facilities also offer new rehabilitation rooms and four negative pressure rooms for patients requiring isolation due to hospital acquired infections, such as superbugs.
“State of the art,” said Foster, following a tour of the facilities. “The professionals have told us, with the private rooms and negative pressure rooms, the health outcomes will be quicker and people will be in and out of the hospital quicker.”
Funding required to complete the two floors was nearly $30-million, a shared cost between the province, the North Okanagan Columbia Shuswap Regional Hospital District and the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation.
Harding said 17 new positions will be added to staff, all registered nurses or licensed practical nurses.
