Nanaimo Regional General Hospital’s Perinatal Unit serves the growing maternity and neonatal needs of Central Vancouver Island. The perinatal unit, adjacent to the hospital’s main entrance, includes 15 labour/ birth/ recovery/ postpartum rooms, four antepartum beds, three triage beds, and a nine bed, level-two neonatal intensive care nursery.
As the electrical contractor for this project, Houle worked collaboratively with the Vancouver Island Heath Authority, consultants, and user groups, providing design-assistance for the Island’s first labour-birthing-recovery-parenting rooms. These rooms are wired and equipped to provide mothers and families the experience of their entire hospital stay in one room for all delivery-related events. Houle also completed complex wiring for the specialized neo-natal intensive care unit and for the facility’s customized operating room, equipped for caesarean and other neonatal surgical needs. Houle was also responsible for the construction of the facility’s fire alarm system, data cabling, CCTV, door access controls, public address system, and modern infant (abduction) alarm.
Challenges
One of the biggest challenges of the project was to integrate the electrical and other systems with those of the existing hospital – without disruption to ongoing patient care and operations. The existing power at the opposite end of the property, required extensive conduit cabling over long distances and through congested spaces.
Successes
Houle completed all the integrated systems for the hospital for under $2 million. By completing numerous electrical and wiring functions under a single contract, Houle brought both integration expertise and significant cost savings to the construction of this specialized maternity and neonatal facility. Furthermore, Houle completed all major aspects of the project with its own forces.
View our project video.
