It was more than just an official opening of a facility. It was a recognition of just how important a hospital’s Intensive Care Unit is and how important the medical team working in an ICU is.
Wednesday the ribbon was cut on the newly expanded Intensive Care Unit at Belleville General Hospital.
The expansion was made possible by the generosity of many individual donors, the Belleville General, Trenton Memorial,and Prince Edward County Memorial Foundations, along with the North Hastings Fund Development Committee, the Parrott Foundation, and the provincial government.
The ICU cost about $6 million to upgrade and now has 18 beds, up from 15, and has surge capacity for 21 patients.
President and CEO of Quinte Health Stacey Daub stressed the unit is serving a large area.
“While located in Belleville our ICU is a regional service and in fact about 60% of the people who come into our Intensive Care Unit are not from Belleville proper, they are from our other areas like Prince Edward County, Quinte West, or Hastings.”
Medical Director, Critical Care for Quinte Health Dr. Craig Holt said the expanded ICU was a positive step forward for the staff, patients and community. “We will strive to continue to evolve our workspace and practices to meet the needs of the Quinte region and our four hospitals.”
Lesley Ashley, a team leader at a hospital outside the region, drew tears from the audience as she described the experience her late father John Beard had as he was rushed to the ICU, with his wife accompanying him, in the fall of last year.
“The moment they stepped into this hospital they were treated with kindness and humanity and dignity and with urgency.”
Ashley said the same compassion was shown by ICU staff after her father unexpectedly died the morning after being admitted.
Lesley Ashley, daughter of the late John Beard, a former ICU patient. (Photo: Quinte News)
“An ICU is a very special place, it’s a place of transition, a transition between either a different level of care or a transition through the end of life. The staff in an intensive care unit have a very tough job. It takes a special person
to be able to deal with life threatening situations in a gracious manner day after day. The staff here are doing great work.”
Although expanded, the Intensive Care Unit is usually at or near capacity, and occasionally at surge capacity.
Officials stressed another expansion will be needed in the future.
