In September 2022 KBRH was approved for Tier 3 Nursery status, which will provide 3 nursery beds with 24/7 nursing. The Tier 3 NICU will provide neonatal services to newborns at approximately 34 weeks and 1800g, or 3.3 pounds, who present moderate risk requiring acute care. As well, an urgent/emergent baby born at approximately 32 weeks and 1500g, or 4 pounds, with appropriate weight for gestational age, may be able to remain at KBRH’s Tier 3 NICU.

KBRH’s Tier 3 NICU will also allow for repatriation of babies from Tiers 4 to 6 sites such as Vancouver, Kelowna and Kamloops when it is safe for the baby. The unit can also accept infants from Tier 1 and 2 sites, such as Kootenay Lake Hospital, if enhanced care is needed. Approval of the Tier 3 status also facilitated hiring of a new Pediatrician who started at KBRH in January 2023, growing the number of Pediatricians to 3.

 The KBRH Health Foundation’s $700,000 Tier 3 NICU Project will purchase priority medical equipment for the NICU.

The closest referral hospitals, Kelowna, Kamloops, and Vancouver, are a minimum 4 hour drive, making travel challenging, especially in the winter months. Distance also separates new parents from their families and support systems whey they need them the most. KBRH’s Tier 3 Nursery, with equipment specifically designed for infants, along with neonatal trained nurses, will ensure comprehensive maternal and neonatal care for the 88,000 residents in the Kootenay Boundary region, and will strengthen maternal/child care, allowing mothers and babies access to appropriate, safe, and quality care closer to home.

Become a Supporter:

If you would like to help support the KBRH Health Foundation’s Tier 3 NICU Project with purchasing priority medical equipment, we invite you to contact the Foundation at 250-364-3424, or donate online.

Every donation has great impact and we are grateful for your support. Thank you.