Nambucca UHA volunteers donate much-needed equipment to Macksville District Hospital Nambucca Valley Nambucca Valley News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - December 30, 2021January 1, 2022 Nambucca UHA committee members Patty Barns and Maureen Novis (either side of the Ambu aView monitor), President Michelle O’Keefe (front), and Judi Belbin with Operating Theatre Nurse Unit Manager Kathryn Black (rear, left), Senior Medical Officer (Critical Care and Emergency) Dr Karly Field, Deputy Director of Nursing Donna Kennedy and (right) Emergency Nurse Unit Manager Jane Higgins. NAMBUCCA United Hospital Auxiliary has donated two important pieces of much-needed equipment to Macksville Hospital. The volunteers, who run the highly successful UHA Bingo at Nambucca RSL Club, donated a $15,000 trauma bed and a $7,500 Ambu aView monitor to Macksville District Hospital. The Ambu aView, a portable, high-resolution monitor, helps medical staff to see into difficult airways, making it easier for them to care for patients who can’t breathe on their own. It has been donated to the operating theatre, where it will have a vital role to play in the care of patients who require intubation. The trauma bed, purpose-built to improve frontline care for seriously ill patients, has been donated to the Emergency Department. It is also referred to as a ‘smart-bed’ because of the technology involved in its design, which enables patients to be weighed or x-rayed without needing to leave the bed. Deputy Director of Nursing Donna Kennedy said both pieces of equipment were ‘game changers’ for the hospital. The monitor is a very welcome addition to the operating theatre and will make a real difference to patient care,” Donna said. “The trauma-specific bed is the first of its kind for our hospital. “It is amazing because it is so flexible and adaptable to the needs of individual patients. “We can’t thank the Nambucca UHA and its Bingo supporters enough for their support, particularly with such significant pieces of medical equipment that we know will help us continue to improve the care and treatment of our patients. “They are kind, generous people and we consider ourselves very lucky to have them in our team.” Nambucca UHA Branch President Michelle O’Keefe said everyone involved in the Bingo fundraiser was proud of their support for Macksville District Hospital. “It is fantastic that we can get behind our local hospital,” said Michelle. “It is such a pleasure seeing the equipment we have been able to donate and listening to the doctors and nurses explain how it works and the difference it makes to patient care. “The bonus is we can support our hospital in a very real way while having a lot of fun playing Bingo at our local RSL Club. “It’s a win-win.” Nambucca UHA volunteers, President Michelle O’Keefe and Judi Belbin, with the state-of-the-art trauma bed, Critical Care and Emergency Senior Medical Officer Dr Karly Field and Emergency Nurse Unit Manager Jane Higgins. Nambucca UHA volunteers Patty Barns and Maureen Novis with the Ambu aView monitor and a very happy Operating Theatre Nurse Unit Manager, Kathryn Black.
