22 Mar PCHF Fruitful Fundraising
The Pondera Medical Center Extended Care has installed the 13 new beds which were purchased from the successful fundraising efforts of the Pondera HealthCare Foundation. (PHCF) It was the event planners’ goal of the 2016 first annual Taste of Pondera to raise enough donated funds to purchase 10 beds. After PMC staff research, they were able to purchase 13 electric beds. Mary Elkins, LPN, CNA Educator, and Restorative Nurse Coordinator stated, “The new beds are safer for residents and staff.” She sighted the easy control features such as height adjustments, good for residents and ergonomically advantageous for staff. While side bar feature is not used for restraint, they are an excellent aid for patients who have bed mobility issues. Extended Care resident, Margaret Rigby, is one of the happy owners of a new bed which she has covered with a pretty red bedspread. With a smile she said, “I like my new bed and the electric controls are easy to use.”
The hospital staff and maintenance personnel had called out the need for new beds. Many extended care beds were repaired from older unusable bed parts. The time was right for the newly organized PHCF to make this a target for their fundraising efforts.
This year’s Taste of Pondera will focus on three critically needed pieces of equipment that have been called out by PMC staffers: Blood Refrigerator, Plasma Freezer, and a Patient Lift.
Barb Meuli, CLS and PMC Laboratory Manager, is excited to know that with successful fundraising the PHCF will be purchasing a new blood refrigerator and a plasma freezer. Her description of the existing equipment included stating that both pieces of equipment are three decades old and have unpredictable moments of failure. The American Red Cross has standards and rules that must be followed for proper blood storage. Also, in order for PMC to continue their status as a Trauma Unit, they must have frozen plasma in storage.
Even though the freezer and refrigerator have specialized temperature recording sensors to monitor proper temps and alarm callout features, if temperature ranges are beyond certain specifications, the contents are in danger of ruin or bacteria growth. She also stated that the new larger freezer will be used by the PMC Clinic to store their frozen medical provisions during power outages, since the Clinic is not emergency generator supported.
The third needed piece of equipment that PHCF hopes to purchase for the Extended Care is a new patient lift apparatus. Heather Erickson, PMC and Extended Care staffer thankfully stated, “A new lift will provide more comfort and ease for workers and residents.” Elkins also added that with certain models, the new lift could enhance walking assistance, providing more patient mobility and exercise.
The Foundation is also planning future county wide health improvements such as: 1) improving youth health awareness; 2) engaging youth interest in medical careers; 3) improving emergency medical services in Valier; and 4) creating an ambassador group. Board members of the Foundation recently met with City, County, and Port officials, as well as concerned citizens to discuss the feasibility of improving family recreation with a walking and biking trail.
Tickets are still available for the PHCF 2nd Annual Taste of Pondera. They can be purchased at Independence Bank or Columbia Grain in Conrad, or Sheron Curry in Valier.
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