Community InformationLocated on the shores of beautiful Kootenay Lake and surrounded by the Selkirk Mountains, is the picturesque community of Nelson. Lush parks, colourful gardens and over 350 heritage buildings give the city of Nelson a unique charm. Known as “City of the Arts”, Nelson has been consistently ranked as the number one small town arts community in Canada. Residents enjoy a wide range of leisure pursuits including arts and cultural festivals as well as outdoor activities such as fishing, boating, and golf. Forestry, mining and tourism are the primary industries in the area.
Four very distinct seasons characterize Nelson’s climate. Average minimum and maximum temperatures vary from -5 degrees Celsius to +5 degrees Celsius in winter, and 15-27 degrees Celsius in the summer. Rainfall averages around 25 mm a month from March through to October. Snowfall generally occurs from November through to March with December and January accumulations averaging 70 cm each.
INDUSTRY:
Forestry, mining, provincial government offices, tourismPopulation
Town Population: 10,230 (BC Stats, 2011 Census)
Ages of Population:
0-17=18.6%
18-24=9.5%
25-64=57.4%
65+=14.6% (BC Stats, 2010 Figures)
Health Administrative Information
Health Authority: Interior Health
Health Service Delivery Area: Kootenay Boundary
Regional District: Central Kootenay
Rural Designation: RSA community
RRP Designation: B
RRP Points: 16.60
Practitioners + Clinic information
General Practitioners: 50 (www.cpsbc.ca) + 14 specialists
Clinics
Community First Medical Clinic 518 Lake Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4C6 P: 250 352-5259 | F: 250 352-0323 Kootenay Lake Medical Clinic 1140 Lakeside Drive Nelson, BC, P: 250 352-4666 | F: 250 352-4696 Hrs: Mon-Fri 9 am - 6 pm, Sat 9:30 am - 5:00 pm, Sun 10 am - 4 pm Medical Associates Clinic 806 Vernon Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4G5 P: 250 352-6611 Hrs: Mon-Fri 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Nelson Health Centre 2nd Floor, 333 Victoria Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4K3 P: 250 505-7200 Heritage Health Centre 823 Baker Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4J8 P: 250 354-3885
This community hospital serves the Nelson area (including the Slocan Valley and Kaslo).
Contact Info
Kootenay Lake Hospital 3 View Street Nelson, BC, V1L 2V1 P: 250 352-3111 | F: 250 354-2320
Hospital Info
Services provided include:
- Laboaratory
- Radiology (x-ray) services
- Emergency services (24 hr)
- Acute care beds for patient admissions for general medicine, observation, assessment, convalescence and palliative care
- Obstetrics
- Outpatient ambulatory care procedures
- Physiotherapy
- Clinics and programs including diabetic education, repiratory, chemotherapy, IV therapy, dialysis
Acute Care Beds: 30
Major Medical Centre: Transfer to Kelowna (345 km)
Emergency Room
This community has a full service Emergency Room that is open 24/7.
Number of Visits Per Year: 12,899 (2009/2010: IHA Stats)
Travel distance to transfer hospital: 345 km to Kelowna
Hospital CAEP and CTAS
CAEP Classification
Description Level 4 – Facility with inpatient beds. May be optional services i.e. obstetrics, definitive for appropriate conditions, stabilization and transfer to another facility as required, open 24/7
CTAS Level CTAS Level I (Resuscitation) CTAS Level II (Emergent) CTAS Level III (Urgent) CTAS Level IV (Less Urgent) CTAS Level V (Non Urgent)
Maternity
This community has Caesarian Section services.
In-community Kootenay Community Midwives 823 Baker Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4J8 P: 250 354-3884
Lab services
Kootenay Lake Hospital 3 View Street Nelson, BC, V1L 2V1 P: 250 354-2325 | F: 250 354-2310 Hrs: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm In-community LifeLabs Laboratory Testing Services 806 Vernon Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4G5 P: 250 352-9360Blood Bank
There is a blood bank in this community
Imaging services
X-Ray Kootenay Lake Hospital Imaging 3 View Street Nelson, BC, V1L 2V1 P: 250 354-3111 | F: 250 354-2320 Hrs: Mon-Fri 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Ultrasound There are ultrasound imaging services in this community CT There are CT imaging services in this community MRI There are MRI imaging services in this community, including mobile MRI Mammography Mammography services provided by BC Cancer Agency twice a year. See www.bccancer.bc.ca for details. Additional Services Echocardiography, Bone Densitometry
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Pharmacy
In-hospital Kootenay Lake District Hospital Pharmacy 3 View Street Nelson, BC, V1L 2V1 P: 250 354-2308 | F: 250 354-2326 In-community Peoples Pharmacy #379 405 Hendryx Street Nelson, BC, V1L 2A6 P: 250 352-3121 | F: 250 352-2389 Pharmasave #148 685 Baker Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4J3 P: 250 352-2316 | F: 250 352-3768 Remedy's Custom Compounding 737 Baker Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4J5 P: 250 352-6928 | F: 250 352-6938 Remedy's Heath Co-operative Pharmacy 518 Lake Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4C6 P: 250 352-1128 | F: 250 352-1124 Safeway Food and Drug - Pharmacy #133 211 Anderson Street Nelson, BC, V1L 3X8 P: 250 352-7765 | F: 250 352-5755 Shoppers Drug Mart # 275 Chahko Mika Mall 1116 Lakeside Drive Nelson, BC, V1L 5Z3 P: 250 352-7268 | F: 250 352-5750 Wal-mart Pharmacy #3060 Chahko Mika Mall 1000 Lakeside Drive Nelson, BC, V1L 5Z4 P: 250 352-7842 | F: 250 352-3090
Extended Care
In-community Nelson Jubilee Manor (39 beds) 500 Beasley Street West Nelson, BC, V1L 6G9 P: 250 352-7011 Mountain Lake Seniors Community (92 beds) 908 Eleventh Street Nelson, BC, V1L 7A6 P: 250 352-2600
Home Nursing
In-community Home & Community Care Office P: 250 352-1401
Dietetics
Nutritional Services Kootenay Lake Hospital 3 View Street Nelson, BC, V1L 2V1 P: 250 354-3111 | F: 250 354-2320
Diabetic Nurse Educator
Diabetes Education Services Kootenay Lake Hospital 3 View Street Nelson, BC, V1L 2V1 P: 250 354-3111 | F: 250 354-2320
Physiotherapy
Kootenay Lake Hospital 3 View Street Nelson, BC, V1L 2V1 P: 250 354-3111 | F: 250 354-2320 In-community Community Rehab, Home and Community Care 905 Gordon Road Nelson, BC, V1L 3L8 P: 250 352-1415 | F: 250 352-1405 Hrs: Mon-Fri 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Lakeside Physiotherapy & Sport Injuries Clinic 903 Nelson Avenue Nelson, BC, V1L 2N8 P: 250 354-3929 | F: 250 354-1921 Crystal Creek Physiotherapy Clinic 2207 Annable Road Nelson, BC, V1L 6K5 P: 250 825-4544 Kootenay Health Services Inc. Suite 205 – 625 Front Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4B6 P: 250 352-1116 | F: 250 352-1118 www.kootenayhealth.com Kokanee Physiotherapy 801-B Front Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4C1 P: 250 352-7030 | F: 250 352-7032 www.kokaneephysiotherapy.com Kootenay Athletic Therapy Suite 106 , 601 Front Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4B6 P: 250 509-0430 | F: 250 352-5911 Vitality Chiropractic Clinic 500 - 901 Front Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4C1 P: 250 505-5442
Occupational therapy
Kootenay Lake Hospital 3 View Street Nelson, BC, V1L 2V1 P: 250 354-3111 | F: 250 354-2330 In-community Community Rehab, Home and Community Care 905 Gordon Road Nelson, BC, V1L 3L8 P: 250 352-1415 | F: 250 352-1405 Hrs: Mon-Fri 8:30 am - 4:30 pmMental Health and Addictions
Mental Health Services Kootenay Lake Hospital 3 View Street Nelson, BC, V1L 2V1 P: 250 354-3111 | F: 250 354-2320 In-community Nelson Mental Health & Addictions Services 2nd Floor - 333 Victoria Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4K3 P: 250 505-7248 Hrs: Mon-Fri 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Ankors AIDS Network 101 Baker Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4H1 P: 250 505-5506 Freedom Quest 608B Lake Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4C8 P: 250 352-3783 | TFP: 1 877 304-2676 CYMH Nelson 566 Stanley Street Nelson, BC, V1L 1N2 P: 250 354-6480 | F: 250 354-6286 Nelson Community Services Centre 201- 518 Lake Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4C6 P: 250 352-3504 Gordon Road Wellness Centre 905 Gordon Road Nelson, BC, V1L 3L8 P: 250 352-1444Social workers
In-community Nelson Health Unit Interior Health Authority 2nd Floor - 333 Victoria Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4K3 P: 250 505-7200 | TFP: 1 877 221-3388 | F: 250 505-7211 Ministry of Children and Family Development 566 Stanley Street Nelson, BC, V1L 1N2 P: 250 354-6480 | F: 250 354-6720 Interior Health Authority 905 Gordon Road Nelson, BC, V1L 3L8 P: 250 352-1416 | F: 250 352-1405
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Ankors AIDS Network 101 Baker Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4H1 P: 250 505-5506 | F: 250 505-5507 Drop-in Hrs: Mon-Thurs 10 am - 12 pm, 2 pm - 4 pm Needle Exchange Hrs: Mon-Thurs 10 am - 12 pm, 2 pm - 4 pm Nelson Pregnancy Outreach - Babies Best Start 312 Silica Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4M5 P: 250 352-6678 ext. 227 | F: 250 352-2055 Canadian Diabetes Association 1589 Sutherland Avenue Kelowna, BC, V1Y 5Y7 P: 250 762-9447 www.diabetes.ca Nelson Community Services Centre Violence Against Women Counseling Services 201 - 518 Lake Street Nelson, BC, V1L 4C6 P: 250 352-3504
Practice Site Information
Nelson Medical Associates Clinic 806 Vernon Street Nelson, BC V1L 4G5 T: 250 352-6611 F: 250 352-6624 Physician Site Coordinator Dr. Kevin McKechnie
Training Site Information
Medical Student Training: Yes
Medical Student: UBC
Family Practice Resident Site: Yes
Medical Resident: UBC
Students & Residents Perspectives
On the Community
“Lots of great amenities, best part of Nelson! AMAZING restaurants and boutique shops (great local fashion) along the main street Baker. There is one movie theatre, lots of bars and one main “club” Spirit Bar. A great recreation centre with pool, gym and skating rink. Lots of grocery stores (Extra Foods, Safeway, Kootenay co-op). There is a beach and park great in the summer time. Tons of hiking (ask about Pulpit – only takes 30 min like a mini Grouse Grind). Lots of mountain biking but need someone with a truck to get you there. Great skiing in the area Whitewater and Red Mountain an hour away in Rossland.”
Patient Load
Resident per Day: 10-15
Educational Opportunities
Hospital Rounds: Yes
What other educational opportunities are available to students and residents (e.g., rounds, CPD)?
Preceptor takes you on one or two weekend trips to rural towns in the surrounding area.
Preceptor Physicians
Dr. Chris Cochrane Dr. Jim Noiles Dr. Brian Woodward Dr. Keith Bridger Dr. Richard Milde Dr. Lee MacKay
