At about the crack of dawn Sunday, 150 staff and volunteers began moving 260 patients from the old facilities at Royal Jubilee Hospital to its new Patient Care Centre.
“The first patient moved at 7 a.m., and we moved one patient every two minutes,” said chief project officer, Rudi van den Broek. “Each patient had a registered nurse with them at all times during the move, and there was a full complement of staff on the new units waiting for them.”
Preventing the spread of infection was a key component of the move. Each piece of equipment was cleaned before being moved, and cleaned again as it entered the new building.
According to the Vancouver Island Health Authority, all patients were safely relocated by 3:30 p.m., ahead of schedule.
Patients from the cardiac, intensive care and mental health units will be moved to the new facility April 9.
The Patient Care Centre accommodates overnight patients.