Saying goodbye to the Fergus Kennedy Unit

14 Mar 2023

On Tuesday 7 March we said our final goodbyes to the old Intensive Care and Coronary Care Unit (ICU/CCU) which was located on the 3rd floor of the hospital. This will allow for works, as part of the hospital redevelopment, to continue. 

Past and current ICU/CCU caregivers were invited to the farewell, to take a walk back through the old space and relive some of the memories that they shared while working in the unit over the last 40 years.

The unit was named after Sister Fergus Kennedy, who was one of the founding members. 

Sr Fergus (pictured right) was an integral part of St John of God Health Care, where she became one of the Sisters of St John of God in 1938. She completed her general nursing education in Subiaco and worked in both Ballarat and Warrnambool as a ward and theatre nurse. In 1974 she completed the Coronary Care course at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and helped to open the Intensive Care/Coronary Care Unit in November 1981.

A look into the future

The new ICU/CCU will be located in the new hospital wing, on Level 3 of the hospital.

Image: Artist Impression of an ICU/CCU patient room

The new unit will have 10 ICU/CCU beds, with each bed having its own private room. Each room will also have switchable glass allowing it to be frosted to create privacy for patients.


Image: Artist Impression of the ICU/CCU Nurses Station

The Hospital Redevelopment remains on track to be completed by Q2 2024.