Nanaimo Regional General Hospital

Overall, very good. Long wait times occasionally, had about a 7hr wait but there were people in much worse condition trying to seek immediate help so it makes sense. Can’t really complain about free healthcare, beats being in crippling debt to survive. One or two rude staff members who need an attitude adjustment or to pick a line of work that isn’t people-oriented, but overall very good.

Had to do my medical X-ray for the PR process . Please note that this is a paid service and not free, I am forced to do it so I can complete my application. I was waiting, the instructions were unclear, so I went back in line, and the lady a the counter asked me “to move away for confidentiality “ in a very rude tone that indicated I might have malicious intent and the person at the counter thanked her after rolling her eyes at me. Let it be noted that right after this, she cross questioned the next patient about his accident in an extremely loud tone, so pray tell, why was that not as “confidential”? It was very obvious that I was being stereotyped as a South Asian woman. After my white Canadian husband showed his face everyone acted super nice and I received an apology as well, however, it was only after the pleasant lady in the central counter asked her to apologize that she did. Not to be snooty but none of the people acting like I was a thief looked like people I would steal from, even if I was a thief. There’s a limit to being presumptuous. Not all South Asians are disenfranchised or need to steal. It sucks because the rest of the process went so well and this has ruined my day. Medical tests and procedures are stressful already, it is imperative that the people in these positions possess empathy and professionalism. Grateful for the kind woman who eventually helped us although unfortunately my rage may have been unintentionally been directed at her. Please hire the right people.

Visited this location emergency department on June 28 was the second time I've been to emergency in the month of June. I was suffering, extreme back pain no idea why I have been given some gabapentin which helped very little on this particular day. I waited five hours to see the doctor I pace the floor for the last hour crying because I couldn't sit anymore And when he came out to get me, he said well all I have to offer you as a chair is that gonna be OK sure I just need to see a doctor. I said I'm in extreme pain. I don't know what it is. I don't know what to do. Have you seen your family doctor? He's away on vacation. I will see him as soon as he returns. The doctor looked at me and said well what do you expect me to do? We don't give out pain medication in emergency. I said I don't know you're the doctor. I'm just looking for some relief. I felt like I was a lower class citizen in search of drugs, which I certainly wasn't. He ended up saying well just a minute gave me some muscle relaxers and said, but we don't give pain meds in emergency. I did see my family doctor when he returned actually I saw a locum first and then my family doctor when he returned from vacation the locum ordered an MRI. The family doctor said let's get a x-ray firstand let's start on some naproxen because I don't believe the gabapentin's gonna help. I had the x-ray I had the MRI the MRI says everything is extreme and surgeries recommended the family doctor said you have a very bad back So to Dr. Goldfarb. Grab some bedside manner you are cold and caring and lump everybody into the same bag drug addicts wonder what the young fellow that was sitting beside me smoking the crack pipe wanted deplorable treatment

I was just in hospital for some surgery , the treatment there was fabulous everyone did a great job from the O R staff and team to the dr Rustin Brown and his team just great.

Hospital was overcrowded during my 2 day stay but staff were excellent and provided superb care.

Medical staff is top notch compared to my experiences in other hospitals. Is this because they banded together as a local profesional body to manage their relationship with hospital management ? In contrast, their shift Nurses and Care aids are treated poorly bidding for shifts and working under- staffed when management "forgets" to send out "shift invites" or are "managing" budgets. This results in nasty patient experiences dealing with "unhappy and exhausted" staff who "manage their load" and throw "attitude" (you hear them talking in the hall while your call bell goes unanswered and I've had them throw things and rough treat you). And finally, the hospital kitchen and policy of mixing cognitively impaired with the general patient population needs changing. The food given to patients is dead and tasteless and patients don't eat it - yet somehow this very same kitchen produces tasty fare for the paying public ???? Everyone I talked to knows this is a long standing problem and a cost centre in need of auditing. Another patient nightmare is that a decent night's sleep is a low chance event...the person next to you is either screaming and/or attending staff think we're all deaf and /or aren't in the ward. .I even had one Nurse verbally attack me when I spoke out about her shouting at 5am ??? At the end of the day, its these things that makes or breaks quality patient care.

Admitted Sunday with blocked bowel ..was so impressed with staff care and attention formy personal well being can not say enough good about staff and doctors cheers for service

January 2019 hip replacement surgery. I know it is a while back and much has happened but I wanted to make sure I said this. Went for a 6am checkin...8am complete hip replacement surgery on January 24 2019 at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. 67 years old I have to say that I couldn’t have been treated better. Checking in at 6am took about 45 minutes as there were several other people checking in as well. The lady that was handling it couldn’t have been nicer. Upstairs to Reception where again the lady that checks you in at that stage and the young lady that took you to get changed were friendly, helpful and informative. Then in for pre op height weight and info check. Again very friendly and informative nurse. The next person was again a cheerful young lady who helped you store you belongings and took you to your gurney outside your operating room, confirmed your information and was very informative as to what was going to happen. Then you meet your surgical team. Anesthesiologist Dr. Wong discussed and explained your anesthetic options to you. She was really helpful and cheerful. Then the surgeon Dr. John Birchard discusses what is going to happen in a friendly manner. You have confidence that you are in good hands (pun intended). Into the operating room, get my spinal and zap, before you know it you are in recovery! The nursing team that takes care of you in Recovery were again awesome, friendly and informative. Really couldn’t have asked for better care at a very confusing time. Then off to the 6th floor with the transporter. These folks can really negotiate that gurney through halls that were lined with equipment and beds. Did I mention that the hospital was really busy. He and a couple of the nursing staff managed to get me transferred to my bed. I’m a 230 pounder so not that easy. Once in my room the 6th floor team took over. They were extremely busy but got to me and got me sorted soon after. Although I considered myself a fairly easy going case (and still a little frozen) I could see and hear that they were dealing with some very challenging patients. My roommate was one that would seriously test anyone. (Not passing judgement here.Bless him he was considerably older than me.) This nursing staff was incredibly sensitive to him and his needs and behaviour as well as many others I could hear happening. They were always so considerate,friendly and professional to me through all of this. X-ray took me down and again these girls really did a great job keeping me as pain free as possible, following a surgery, getting the images the needed. Physiotherapy came the day before and day of to help prepare me for discharge and thing to do/remember once at home. I wanted to make sure that I could voice my sincere appreciation and thanks to all of the people that made what was a stressful situation for me, as easy as I ever could have hoped for. I know this really is a team effort with so many people behind the scenes that rarely get the recognition they so rightly deserve. Cooks, cleaning staff,maintenance, admin, all of the technical services, laundry and volunteers. This is a really tough job and through every phase of my procedure they were helpful, friendly, professional and really good at what they do. Thank you so very much. Jim, Nanaimo.

This place is an open invitation for bull dozers. The staff do their level best but it is hard when they have to work out in the hallways. Not a union type but these folks are subjected to the worse conditions possible

Pediatric unit and neonatal units are great. Can’t speak for most of the other floors. Emergency department is atrocious in terms of wait times, lack of urgency and nurses spending their time chit-chatting instead of helping patients, but otherwise the doctors are generally helpful and attentive. The psychiatric emergency (PES) is the biggest disgrace in mental health care. I can’t say enough negative things about PES. The nurses spend every second in their glass office gossiping (about patients included), laughing loudly and browsing the internet. They only emerge from the office to hand out medication. No quality time with their patients such as chatting, sitting together, playing a card game, comforting them etc. If you show any symptoms of a crisis, they lock you in a bare seclusion room which can only be described as a prison cell. PES is traumatizing, terrifying and needs to be shut down.