Hospital Shop volunteers donate to surgical ward
29 November 2007
Hamilton Base Hospital theatre has been able to purchase a Welch Allyn Vital Signs Monitor to assist with the initiation of a new post-operative unit in the surgical ward, thanks to the generosity of the Hospital Shop volunteers.
The Hospital Shop volunteer staff donated $15,500 several months ago to acquire an insufflator, equipment used in laparoscopic surgery at HBH, as well as laparoscopic instruments used in conjunction with the insufflator.
The Op Shop volunteers have been extremely busy during the past 12 months, and found they were able to donate an extra $6000 required for the Welch Allyn Monitor, which is used to examine pulse oxygen saturation, blood pressure and temperature.
The patient monitor is suitable for patients of all ages, including customised settings for adults, children and babies. The monitor is easy to use and provides automated vital signs before and during and after procedures, and will allow for spot checks of a patients vital signs as well as continuous monitoring. The HBH staff have been pleased to report that the monitor is also highly portable and easy to manoeuvre.
Western District Health Service is currently developing a new ‘Step Down Unit’ located in the HBH Surgical Ward, where patients are shifted to after a surgical procedure and continuously monitored for a period of four hours post operatively. This monitor is vitally needed for this new unit, it will be heavily utilised and of great benefit to both patients and staff.
The volunteers were keen to see the equipment, and were grateful to Division 1 Nurse Helen Bubb who showed them behind the scenes, and demonstrated the vital signs monitor.
The Hospital Shop is open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday, and is located in Brown St, near the French St corner.
Above: WDHS Surgical Ward Nurse Helen Bubb demonstrates the use of the Welch Allyn Vital Signs Monitor to volunteers from the Hospital Opportunity Shop, who have donated the $6000 required to purchase the equipment.