The Vancouver Island Health Authority will investigate the death of a woman who died while waiting in a crowded hospital emergency room in Victoria.

The 59-year-old was taken to Royal Jubilee Hospital by ambulance for treatment of chest pains.

A nurse said her condition wasn't as critical as other patients who were waiting for treatment, so the woman was told to wait in a chair.

Less than 40 minutes later, she was dead.

Vancouver Island health Authority spokesperson Shelby Chamberlain says the emergency staff follow a strict protocol in assessing patients.

"Sometimes in our emergencies as was the case the other night, we had 20 patients admitted who didn't have beds yet, plus the emergency room was extremely busy, plus we had several very critical patients who needed immediate attention,"she says.

"On the very rare occasion we have no indication of a critical problem about to arise, and they act very quickly if it does happen."