Sechelt Hospital welcomes the arrival of two new Belmont Rapid Blood and IV Infusers. Any high trauma or emergency patients will now have access to the “gold standard” of rapid blood and IV infusers. This state-of-the-art upgrade was made possible through the generosity of Sechelt Hospital Foundation and its donor community.
To fund the equipment purchase, Sechelt Hospital Foundation was successful in applying for a grant from the Mr. and Mrs. P.A. Woodward’s Family Foundation for one infuser ($50,000) and the second was funded by donor contributions ($50,000).
“This equipment purchase means both the Emergency Room and the Operating Room will have access to their own rapid infusers. Previously, we had been sharing a single piece of equipment between the two departments,” said Marie Duperreault, Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) director for the Sunshine Coast. “We are so grateful to the Sechelt Hospital Foundation and the community for this generous donation.”
Michelle Stanton, Sechelt Hospital’s manager of Acute Services, noted the new infusers will allow medical staff to treat high trauma patients efficiently.
“This new equipment will have a significant impact on the quality of care our patients receive at the hospital and allow us to treat patients with greater efficiency while we wait for a higher level of care transfer,” Stanton said.
In the instance where blood loss occurs quickly in a patient, it is vital to maintain their blood volume. This piece of equipment helps to stabilize a patient, delivering blood and fluids at a transfusion rate of 700mL per minute, allowing medical staff to efficiently provide the patient with the necessary treatment.
According to Jane Macdonald, Sechelt Hospital Foundation executive director, the need for the new blood and IV infusers became a priority as soon as it was brought to the foundation’s attention. “When our donors can see their contributions making a difference, everyone wins. That is what we call ‘gifts that keep giving.’ It’s the ultimate expression of grateful patients and generous community members who trust that we will direct their funds to the area of greatest impact.”
Sechelt Hospital Foundation believes that the best medicine is local. If you would like to learn more about the Sechelt Hospital Foundation’s future projects, please visit www.sechelthospitalfoundation.org or e-mail [email protected].
