The comfort, safety and well-being of the people we care for are top of mind as Burnaby Hospital prepares to open Phase One of its redevelopment project, holding ‘mock move’ simulations to plan patient transfers to the newly constructed buildings.
(Photo) Leanne Appleton, executive director, Burnaby Hospital, steps into the role of a patient while Janell Josephs, clinical nurse educator, discusses equipment requirements with the Medicine Unit patient transfer team.
At Burnaby Hospital, preparations are underway as the first patient day in the newly constructed buildings approaches this spring.
Approximately 90 patients will be transferred on the day to units opening in the new Health Care Pavilion and expanded Support Facilities Building, including the Maternity Unit, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Department. Teams are fine-tuning patient transfer protocols that will support comfort and safety while limiting disruption for the people we care for and their loved ones.
In December, teams held ‘mock moves’—simulation exercises used to explore different patient scenarios, coordinate staff responsibilities and test routes.
This exercise created a space for reflecting on key learnings and developing strategies for improving the patient experience. This included recording patient transfer times so that teams could plan and test quicker routes to improve patient safety while being relocated.
Janell Josephs, clinical nurse educator, said the mock moves gave teams practical ideas such as drawing patients’ laboratory samples earlier than usual to accommodate the move schedule.
They also reinforced the important role of communication. “Our discussions brought forward the need to ensure clear communication with patients’ essential care partners so they’re aware of what’s happening with their loved ones.”
‘Essential care partners’ are those chosen by patients, such as family members, to accompany and support them while they are in hospital. Beyond the patient transfer itself, an important consideration is how essential care partners are supported and effectively integrated into the moving process through communication.
Clear communication is also necessary for the people we care for to feel supported and comfortable.
Leanne Appleton, executive director, Burnaby Hospital, stepped in to participate in the role of a patient during the Medicine Unit’s mock move. Reflecting on her experience, she said, “the team were sharing with me before, during and after the move, important information and what to expect. I was reassured my family was going to be notified that I had successfully now moved and when they could visit me in my new private room… those were all things that gave me comfort and confidence.”
Mock moves are just one of the many strategies being utilized in the coming months to prepare units ahead of their transition to the new Phase One buildings.
Learn more about Burnaby Hospital’s redevelopment.
