A shout out to our heroes

When water leaked into the VGH Burns Trauma and High Acuity (BTHA) Unit on the afternoon of January 11, our first priority was patient safety. Thankfully, our friends and colleagues came to the rescue.

“We had to close one pod of beds at a particularly busy time in the hospital,” says Michelle de Moor, operations director responsible for the BTHA Unit. “Thanks to the collaboration of many people, all patients were relocated to other VGH units within hours.”

The leak was readily contained but the transfer of eight patients was necessary to permit the installation of hoarding for repairs and remediation. Six patients were moved to the Perioperative Care Centre (PCC), while two ward-ready patients were transferred to other VGH units.

“Our special thanks to Shelley Errico and the PCC staff for accommodating BTHA patients,” says Michelle. “With their support and the assistance of Infection Control and Internal Patient Transport, the BTHA clinical team, led by Jackson Lam and patient care coordinators Natalie Williams and Gail Jeffrey, ensured safe transfers.”

While repairs were underway, Paladin Security helped with wayfinding and the safe re-routing of families and friends visiting loved ones.

On January 14 — just 72 hours after the leak was discovered — the closed pod in the BTHA Unit reopened.

“Thanks to the quick thinking and actions of all involved, including FMO [Facilities Management & Operations] and Crothall Environmental Services who restored the affected areas, patient safety and patient access to high-acuity care were never compromised.”