Through donations, Guelph General Hospital recently purchased five new specialized hospital beds for its Intensive Care Unit that it says will be a valuable tool to deliver high quality health care.
In a press release sent Thursday, Guelph General Hospital (GGH) said the new beds being utilized in the Bob Ireland Family Intensive Care Unit (ICU) will provide a safer environment for both patients and staff.
The new beds were purchased through donations raised during the Guelph Hospital Foundation’s most recent Black Tie Bingo event. Each bed costs about $50,0000.
“In our ICU, our patients spend the majority of their time lying on the bed. What could be more important to their comfort?” said Suzanne Bone, the Foundation’s CEO. “Beds might not sound sexy, but they are so important both to the care provided and our patients’ overall experience.”
The five Progressa system beds, manufactured by medical technology company Hillrom, offer a number of innovative features that GGH said will help to prevent bed sores in patients and allow those with limited mobility a safer way to be placed in and get out of bed.
Patients who are in one position for an extended period of time can develop bed sores, said the release. The mattress on the Progressa bed can be set to slowly oscillate, like ripples on a pond, to prevent those bed sores.
The mattress can also twist and roll a patient on their side, helping to take the strain off of staff.
“The beds really do support the work of our great staff and physicians,” said Marlene DaGraca, director of ICU at the hospital. “For example, the bed can raise the patient into a full sitting position with their feet at floor level. This can make getting some patients in and out of bed much safer.”
The beds also include some more simple features, like lighting on the bed so a patient can be checked without turning on the room lights and built-in electrical outlets, reducing the amount of cords needed to operate other equipment..
"Staff and visitors don’t have to worry about tripping,” said DaGraca.
Bone said the beds are a clear example of how donors can directly impact the quality of care at the hospital.
