Home / Health / Fredericton Hospital Ditches Ambulance Bay Patient Care
Fredericton Hospital Ditches Ambulance Bay Patient Care
20 Jan
Summary
- Hospital ambulance bay unit without running water to close by spring.
- Patients used commodes; pails of water for washing.
- Ambulance bay will be renovated into an emergency department extension.
Fredericton's hospital is set to discontinue patient admissions into an ambulance bay by the spring. This unit, known as the medical transition unit, has been utilized to accommodate up to 13 admitted patients since late 2024.
The ambulance bay location lacked essential facilities such as running water and bathrooms, forcing patients to use commodes and pails for washing. Public outcry, spurred by an open letter from a registered nurse, highlighted these substandard conditions.
Horizon Health Network announced the closure, attributing it to a long-term plan to relocate outpatient services. This move will free up space within the hospital for the medical transition unit, thereby ending its use of the ambulance bay.
Following renovations, the ambulance bay is planned to become an extension of the emergency department, offering clinical care for patients while further renovations are underway. This decision comes amidst rising numbers of medically discharged patients awaiting long-term care, impacting hospital capacity.
