Emerging care: filled with light

Nanaimo Regional General Hospital - Emergency and Psychiatric Emergency

Nothing can be more distressing than a sudden injury, a car accident, or a heart attack. This is when an emergency department becomes really important in one’s life.

The expert team of staff, nurses, and physicians of the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital Emergency Department needed a new space to service the growing community. Their expertise, accompanied by a welcoming attitude, was the guiding principle of the design. It starts with a timber canopy that makes it easy to find the entrance and recalls the beautifully wooded surroundings of Vancouver Island. The lobby and reception area are open and airy, with high ceilings. Filled with regional artwork, it’s also highly functional, with reception structured so patients are easily triaged.

The waiting areas and the treatment pods are all organized around individual courtyards, open to the sky so the patient, while waiting or being treated, is connected to natural light and interior gardens. This relieves stress for both the patients and caregivers while getting the extra benefit of reduced lighting costs. A separate mental health unit includes four secure bedrooms, treatment rooms and pleasant courtyards, living spaces and recreation areas to help speed rehabilitation.