(L-R) Clinical Nurse Leader in the high acuity unit (HAU) Rachel Deines, CEO of Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation (NDHF) Barney Ellis-Perry, and manager of respiratory therapy of the intensive care unit (ICU) and HAU Kelly McColm outside the NDHF offices at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

big smiles

Smile Cookie campaign to help improve new care unit at Nanaimo hospital

May 1, 2023 | 5:22 AM

NANAIMO — It’s a week during the year where a good smile can be extra rewarding.

Tim Hortons’ annual Smile Cookie campaign kicks off Monday, May 1 for seven full days where proceeds of Smile Cookies sold at local outlets will go towards the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital Foundation.

Funds raised this year will go towards NRGH’s recently announced 12-bed high acuity unit (HAU), which clinical nurse leader Rachel Deines said will mean a much-needed spacial increase.

“Currently we’re working in these rooms that are not meant for critical care patients, so the beds fit in them, technically, but when you start adding all of our equipment like a ventilator, a dialysis machine, IV pumps…it’s cramped. We’re sort of playing Tetris in these little rooms.”

Deines said it can even be difficult to transfer patients to and from their beds in their old rooms due to the lack of space.

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Provincial funding for the new HAU was announced last month. It’s still in the tender phase and has a tentative opening date of September 2024.

Money from last year’s campaign helped pay for critical gear in the new intensive care unit (ICU), set to open in June, a few months ahead of schedule.

Construction will also include a new staff break room, something Deines said is extremely important to reduce fatigue and burnout.

“We’ve all been through a huge stress with the recent pandemic and the sort of piecemeal break rooms situation that we’re working out of right now. I mean it’s fine but having this huge, beautiful break room is going to be huge for our staff morale.”

Deines said future patients of the new ICU will notice the increase in the size of the rooms, their own bathroom, and a larger family room for patients’ families to gather in a private setting.

Tim Hortons Smile Cookie runs from May 1-7 Canada wide. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Barney Ellis-Perry, CEO of the Foundation, said the Smile Cookie campaign has once again challenged local real estate agencies and dealerships to step up and see who can buy the most.

He also emphasizes the need for the public to be advocates for the NRGH for crucial items such as a new patient tower, cancer centre, and cardiac catheterization lab.

“We really want members of the community to be aware that they have a voice, especially when the next election comes, we also of course want people to give money to the Foundation to support equipment.”

He said if someone has a passion for something in health care, reach out to the Foundation and they will help make that happen.

The Smile Cookie campaign runs from May 1-7, with over 4,300 Tim Hortons locations participating across the country, raising money for multiple charities like the Oceanside Hospital Society in Parksville and the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.

A record-breaking Smile Cookie campaign in 2021 brought in $27,500 towards the new ICU.

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow