By Vernon Matters Staff

Light a Bulb making impact in COVID response at VJH

Apr 15, 2020 | 2:42 PM

Funds raised during last year’s Light a Bulb campaign are helping staff at Vernon Jubilee Hospital prepare for the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2019 fundraising campaign, which ran from November 15 through the end of December, raised $315,000 to upgrade and replace urgently needed equipment at VJH.

Kate McBrearty, VJH Foundation executive director, said some of the new equipment that was purchased is proving vital as teams adapt to the pandemic.

“Amongst other purchases, eight new bladder scanners and eight new vital machines were distributed throughout nine different departments in VJH over the past few months. “Thanks to the hundreds of donors who chose to support our Light a Bulb campaign, every dollar raised truly is impacting patient care right here, right now, in our hospital,” said McBrearty.

VJH is one of the regional hospitals around B.C. designated by the government to deal with COVID cases.

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“The vital signs machines we received are literally lifesaving,” said Iris Ready, registered nurse on floor 2 East/West at VJH. “Having this additional equipment is crucial, particularly for patients who are on contact precautions. We’re now able to keep a specific machine with a patient in isolation, rather than having to sanitize after each use in order to transfer between rooms. Not only does this save time for our nursing staff, but it also greatly reduces the spread of bacteria and assists with mitigating infection. These new machines are a wonderful addition to our wards and we are so thankful to have them.”

“For the patients themselves, the advanced technology of the new bladder scanners allows us to see more on the screens. This enhanced view means that patient comfort is increased as we can press more gently during assessments,” Ready added.

McBrearty said the hospital’s medical and administrative teams have been working tirelessly to prepare for a potential surge during this pandemic.

“Having state-of-the-art equipment and access to the latest technologies benefits everyone – staff and patients alike.”

Other equipment purchased from 2019 Light a Bulb funds are two additional gastroscopes which are now use in VJH’s surgical department.

by Vernon Matters Staff

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