Black Tie Gala to benefit ICU expansion

More than 300 people are expected to attend the 26th Annual Black Tie Evening, Kingston’s most prestigious fundraising gala, October 24th to benefit the expansion of the Intensive Care Unit at Kingston General Hospital.  We asked Mae Squires, Operational Director, and Dr. John Drover, Medical Director, at the ICU about what the support will mean.

To find out more about Black Tie, buy a ticket or become a sponsor, click here.

What role does the ICU play in our local health care?

The Critical Care Program at Kingston General Hospital includes a 21-bed Level 3 intensive care unit (Kidd 2 ICU – currently 16 beds during construction) and an 23-bed Level 2-3 unit (Davies 4 ICU) that provides acute care services for the sickest patients in our region. The Kidd 2 ICU cares for patients with life-threatening illness and injuries including stroke, cardiac arrest, traumatic brain or spine injury, and renal failure. Patients are admitted to the ICU from other areas of the hospital, other hospitals in Southeastern Ontario and, occasionally, from hospitals in other provinces.

How busy is the ICU?

Both ICUs are usually very busy. Occupancy rates are usually more than 90 per cent.

How many people work there?

We have a great team of health care and support workers, including administrators, doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, dietitians, social workers, pharmacists, physical therapists, spiritual care providers, personal care assistants, clerks and volunteers.

What do patients and families think of the care you provide?

Through patient and family surveys, we have received an overall satisfaction rate of more than 80 per cent.

What will the expansion of the ICU do for patient care?

Expansion of the critical care program at KGH will improve patients’ access to life saving care. The redevelopment plan calls for a 12-bed increase in the Kidd 2 ICU, making it a 33-bed Level-3 ICU. The first of four construction phases will be complete in early 2010.

What role does the ICU play in teaching and research?

We provide research opportunities and training for people from different levels, and from different training programs, such as surgery, medicine, anaesthesia, emergency medicine, pharmacy and nursing. Research in the ICU has focused on areas including nutrition, end-of-life care and decision-making for the critically ill, family satisfaction with ICU care, infection, resuscitation techniques and ventilator associated pneumonia.

We provide clinical experience for students of multiple disciplines including: Queen’s University health science students (nursing, rehabilitation and medicine), St. Lawrence College Critical Care Nursing program, respiratory therapy students from Algonquin College and pharmacy residents from the University of Toronto. 

What’s the one thing most people wouldn’t know about the ICU?

Our staff work a lot of hours. Every year, they log more than 250,000 hours caring for our patients. We also recently ranked 2nd in a worldwide survey in providing best nutritional practices.