Renal unit nurses at Dubbo Hospital are patiently waiting for a “more positive” experience for themselves and patients in a yet-to-be-built four-storey building.
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Health Infrastructure (HI) has opted to relocate the unit to the new building rather than refurbish it in its existing location.
The four-storey building is part of the $150 million stage three and four redevelopment of the hospital, now under way.
Nurse manager for Dubbo Dialysis and Renal Outreach Gail O’Brien considers the move to be “worth the wait”. “When completed, the new unit will allow our team to meet best-practice dialysis treatment and be reassuringly near the Emergency Department (ED) ,” she said. “There will also be more space in the unit and improved patient privacy and better staff facilities to ensure everyone’s experience will be more positive.”
Western NSW Local Health District telehealth services will be an “important feature” of the new renal unit. “We will have a dedicated space for telehealth consultations for rural and remote sites in the new unit,” Ms O’Brien said. “This is really important for nurses in those areas who require support from the Dubbo’s renal team and for the patients who find it difficult to travel.”
When completed, the new unit will allow our team to meet best-practice dialysis treatment and be reassuringly near the Emergency Department.
- Nurse manager for Dubbo Dialysis and Renal Outreach Gail O’Brien
HI has confirmed that stage three and four redevelopment has begun with workmen focused on building a third storey on the clinical services building constructed under the $91.3 million stage one and two redevelopment. The building is a hub of surgical and maternity services with its extra storey likely to accommodate a surgical inpatient unit. Refurbishment of the hospital’s old maternity unit to accommodate medical records and administration services has also begun. Hansen Yuncken won the tender to refurbish the old unit and build the third storey, expected to be completed by the end of this year.
The new four-storey building, with “major plant” on its top floor, will also feature a new ED, medical imaging unit, ambulatory care unit and critical care floor complete with coronary care/ stroke unit, intensive care unit and cardiac catheter laboratory.