Volunteers Donate Close to $30,000 in New Technology

Patients entering the Emergency Department and Assessment Center at Memorial Medical Center—Lufkin receive another layer of care thanks to the Volunteer Auxiliary’s two recent donations totaling just under $30,000.  Wireless communication devices and a desktop monitoring system provide emergency medical professionals with the patient information they need on demand.

Memorial emergency department staff has increased communication abilities due to a two-way radio with wireless headsets and microphones.  Registration clerks have communication capabilities giving immediate access to emergency personnel without the telephone delay while notifying nurses when acute patients arrive at the entrance.  Medical professionals are able to move emergent level patients into treatment areas sooner due to the instant communications.

“It is imperative to have long range communication abilities throughout our large state-of-the-art emergency department while serving critically ill patients,” said Sharon Boyett, RN, Nurse Manager of Emergency Services.  “The flexibility of using hands-free communication tools allows our emergency team to send and receive instant alerts throughout the department.”

Another benefit to emergency department nurses is the instant contact between nursing stations.  With the expansive emergency area come more footsteps to reach another nurse for consultation.  Through the secure system, nurses can communicate while at opposite sides of the department.

In the event of a major crisis or catastrophe in the community, nurses will have the ability to better coordinate treatment efforts.  Utilizing the communication devices frees up nurses from needing to contact one another by telephone or walking the distance to relay a message.

Along with communication, it is important for nurses to monitor patients from a centralized location.  Many critically ill patients are sent directly from their physician’s office to the hospital’s Assessment Center.  Located in the emergency department, the Assessment Center prepares patients for admittance into the hospital. 

“Monitoring critically ill patients on a desktop screen allows nurses to see vital signs like blood pressure, oxygen saturation, heart rate and rhythms of multiple patients,” stated Boyett.  “The Nihon Kohden monitoring system allows nurses to move freely from room to room while it monitors up to six patients at a time.  A telemetry technologist can see warning signs of changing health conditions and alert the nurse to a patient’s needs.”

The Memorial Volunteer Auxiliary donates to the hospital thousands of dollars in the most advanced technology each year.  Don Newland, President of the Volunteer Auxiliary, says, “The Volunteers enjoy knowing that the equipment purchased helps save lives and makes a patient’s stay more comfortable and satisfying.”