NEW pieces of equipment have been donated to the Innisfail Hospital, improving the lives of patients at the emergency department.
The Innisfail Friends of the Hospital Foundation presented hospital staff with a Fisher and Paykel OptiFlow Nasal High Flow apparatus and Hamilton-T1 Ventilator last week.
The Optiflow device delivers high-flow nasal cannular air/oxygen blends to patients, allowing comfort for pain and increasing tolerance to therapy.
Coming under the umbrella of the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation, the Innisfail Friends group is very active fundraising within the local community.
Innisfail Hospital nursing services director Lesley Harris said the device was commonly used on patients suffering respiratory failure, particularly in the emergency department.
She said the OptiFlow would make a massive difference to patient care as it was non-invasive, compared to intubating a patient which also changes the whole patient management regimen.
The other device, a Hamilton-T1 ventilator, is a portable life system support with a fully-featured intensive care unit ventilator.
Ms Harris said it was primarily for use in the maternity section to assist with neonatal babies.
“Up until now, we’ve had to use other methods of continuous ventilation on neonates, but having the ventilator will free up staff to continue providing critical care,” Ms Harris said.
“On occasions, we have to wait quite some time for patients to be retrieved, and that can be a long time for staff to be manually working keeping a patient’s airway ventilated, rather than working on other aspects of their care.”
Last year was a big year for the Innisfail Friends of the Hospital Foundation.
The organisation has been inundated with generous donations from a variety of groups – including Innisfail’s local businesses, other community groups and the Sarbat Da Bhala Charitable Club.
In addition to the two pieces of equipment donated last week, the group donated six Gallay endoscope storage trolleys, two Masimo pulse oximeters, another Optiflow machine, a H-1200 fast flow fluid warmer and a vital sign monitor.
President Estelle Kopp said the foundation was formed eight years ago in memory of a friend who died from cancer.
“We started with three people and now we’ve grown to 20,” Ms Kopp said.
“We’ve been doing a lot of work this year.”
So far, the group has donated 57 pieces of equipment to the hospital since it started.
To volunteer with the foundation, visit their Facebook page, or call 0427 633 706.
Photo: Innisfail Hospital Midwifery Group practice midwife Jessica Crabtree, Maternity Unit Manager Alison Weatherstone, Innisfail Friends president Estelle Kopp, midwife Kaye, Friends treasurer Maria Vasicek and Registered Nurse Renee Arthur.
