Youth in crisis will have access to enhanced patient care with the recent opening of the newly renovated pediatric psychiatry area at Royal Inland Hospital (RIH).
The RIH pediatric psychiatry unit is located within the larger pediatrics unit at RIH. The goal of the renovation project was to update the environment to provide a calm and safe haven for pediatric psychiatry patients, and one that allowed for better privacy and confidentiality for the important work being done on the unit.
The renovation included the integration of two existing psychiatric inpatient rooms, a consultation area and the staff room. The space now houses two inpatient rooms, a private consultation/observation room and a comfortable youth lounge area. There is also a new counselling area, a dedicated washroom, a nurses’ station, and a nearby shower room to serve all patients on the pediatrics unit.
The existing outdoor recreational area on a patio off the pediatrics unit was also renovated to create a more welcoming space for all children, youth and their families on the unit.
The RIH pediatric psychiatry unit is a crisis stabilization unit for youth. Those admitted are supported in their treatment by a variety of health professionals, including psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, child and youth workers and sometimes occupational therapists, and participate in one-on-one and group therapy before being discharged with appropriate community supports.
The project cost for the renovation was approximately $850,000, and was shared between the province through Interior Health and the Thompson Regional Hospital District (TRHD).
The pediatric psychiatry unit will serve patients and families in the Kamloops area, but also those throughout the Thompson, Nicola and Cariboo regions, from Merritt to Williams Lake, and Lillooet to Chase.
The RIH Foundation also secured a $20,000 grant from the RBC Foundation, which went toward helping furnish the new space.