Creating efficiency with co-ed rooms not planned for regional hospital

North Bay’s new health centre may have men and women patients sharing rooms but Thunder Bay’s regional hospital doesn’t plan to follow suit, says the chief nursing executive.

Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, chief nursing executive for the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, said there isn’t a need for Thunder Bay to introduce co-ed living arrangements for patients.

"Our typical practice is not to cohort men and women in the same room," Crocker Ellacott said. "At times of extreme overcrowding our hospital has resorted to asking patients if they didn’t mind sharing their room. We also respect patients preferences and ensure the dignity and respect of every patient is being maintained."

Nancy Jacko, of the Medicine Care Centre in North Bay, told the Canadian Press that the goal of co-ed rooms is to provide the most efficient care possible. She added that having both men and women in the same room will improve wait times and allow patients to spend less time on stretchers waiting for a room.

The Canadian Press also reported that the rooms for men and women will be available only in those designated for acute care.

However, that method to decrease wait times isn’t necessary for the regional hospital, said Crocker Ellacott.

"It certainly depends on what the patients preferences are," she said. "Many patients identify that they do not want to be in a room with mix genders. If it were to be an issue we would make sure that patients are ok it that and it doesn’t compromise them in anyway."