emergency nurse shares why she can't wait to move in

SHARE

With the Acute Services Building (ASB) on track to open its doors to the public early next year, the exciting prospect of moving into the new hospital is becoming more and more real for Prince of Wales Hospital (POWH) staff like Emergency Department nurse, Colou Caro.

An emergency nurse of 25 years, Colou has joined the Randwick Campus Redevelopment project team to help with the enormous undertaking that involves procuring furniture and equipment for the new hospital.

Since 2016, Colou has worked as an Equipment Nurse Coordinator in the POWH Emergency Department, where she directs and coordinates all aspects of medical equipment including procurement, teaching and preventative maintenance. She knows more than anyone how critical the safe provision of equipment is in order to meet patient needs in a high-risk environment.

When asked about the new hospital, she says: “I am most excited about the new, shiny and state of the art equipment and features for nurses and doctors.”

She uses the example of “pendants”, which are being installed in the resuscitation room in the new Emergency Department, set to replace the current wall mounted service panels.

Colou believes that the design of the hospital will have a positive impact on staff performance. Things like clearly marked signage, ventilation, natural lighting, efficient room layouts that support contemporary models of care, and even the artwork.

The biggest positive difference between the new and current hospital that Colou has noticed is the space.

“The ceiling to floor glass windows are marvellous – the north side of the hospital has a great view of the city. I can see how the abundance of natural light will improve patient and staff wellbeing.”

Another aspect that Colou points out is that the new building has digital panels at the entrance to isolation rooms, compared with laminated signs in the current hospital. Colou sees this as a game changer.

“It’s efficient, timely and safer for both healthcare workers and patients. Just press a button and you activate the negative pressure in the room. I think that is really cool.”

Colou is excited about the positive impact that the redevelopment will have on the Randwick community and describes her opportunity to be involved in this project as “mind-blowing, an honour and a humbling experience.”

Visit the project page to learn more about the Acute Services Building.