Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), on behalf of Richmond Hospital, has apologized to the family of a 91-year-old patient, who had to endure near 30 C temperatures in her room recently.
A spokesperson for VCH contacted the family and the Richmond News to clarify its response earlier this week to a story published by the News.
Mary Ramage told the News that her elderly mother was baking in the heat of the day in her hospital room, with the AC not working, no access to fans and the windows being “nailed shut.”
VCH initially told the News that all rooms in the hospital have “functioning air conditioning,” the “windows can be opened” and patients and families can ask for standing fans.
However, a VCH spokesperson contacted the News on Friday to say that the information provided by them was “incorrect” and that it has “sincerely” apologized to the patient and her family for “any distress caused by our response.”
“VCH has determined windows in two rooms within the unit are not able to open for safety reasons, including one in which this patient was receiving care,” added the spokesperson.
“While these rooms are equipped with air conditioning, in some cases it may not be able to cool the rooms adequately for some patients during warmer temperatures.
“VCH has taken a number of steps to address the issue in these two rooms including: Providing additional fans as needed; installing blackout blinds to reduce the heat from the windows; providing another room if a patient is uncomfortable.
Ramage told the News earlier this week how her mother was admitted to Richmond Hospital after a “terrible fall” and was placed in a west-facing room on the fourth floor of the North Tower on July 19.
However, by Friday, July 21, Ramage described the room as “inhumanely hot” and recorded a temperature of 29.4 C inside the room where windows were allegedly “nailed” shut, which she said hospital staff cited as a safety precaution for patients.
This was one day after Richmond experienced outdoor temperatures reaching a high of 28.8 C, according to Environment Canada weather data.
Ramage said she wanted to bring in her own portable AC but there was no point without having access to an open window.
Instead, garbage bags were hung on the windows to block out the sun, but hospital staff told them it was not allowed and had to be taken down.
Ramage and her husband brought their own fan and cooling towels to keep the senior as cool and as comfortable as possible in the heat.
With files from Valerie Leung
