Hero photograph
Lower Blue Mountains Rotarians Carolyn Fitzpatrick and Michele Ellery (left) admire colourful decorations added to the walls of the family room at Nepean Hospital’s Emergency Department.
 

VITAL MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

PDG Bob Aitken, Rotary End Polio Now Coordinator —

Rotary Sponsors Further Vital Medical Equipment For Nepean Hospital, Penrith, NSW

Article by PDG Bob Aitken, Rotary End Polio Now Coordinator

Two further pieces of vital medical equipment have found their way into the resources of the Emergency Department at Nepean Hospital, Penrith, as the result of a Rotary International Global Grant.

Lower Blue Mountains Rotary initiated the $50k Global Grant – ‘Caring for Children’ – with support from Rotary District 9685, another local Rotary Club, and a Rotary District and five Clubs in India.

Lower Blue Mountains Rotarians Carolyn Fitzpatrick and Michele Ellery (left) admire colourful decorations added to the walls of the family room at Nepean Hospital’s Emergency Department

Rotary’s Friends of Nepean Emergency committee initiated the campaign and local Rotarians contributed $25k towards the cost.

The equipment includes –

  • A Retinal Fundus Eye Camera to detect and diagnose eye injuries/diseases. The hand-held camera takes a permanent image which can be sent off site to specialist doctors at any time.
  • A ‘Giraffe Warmer’ machine specially designed to resuscitate babies and small children in emergency situations.
Examining the new Giraffe Warmer shortly after installation.

Photo above: Nurse Practitioner Linda Hasler, Rotarians Michele Ellery, Susan Wakefield, Carolyn Fitzpatrick Emergency Physician Dr Viktoria Seppi and Emergency Department Deputy Director Dr Mark Salter, are pictured examining the new Giraffe Warmer shortly after installation.

Emergency Department Nurse practitioner Linda Hasler said the camera had already picked up two severe retinal conditions shortly after delivery.

Nurse Practitioner Linda Hasler does a trial examination of Rotarian Susan Wakefield with the new Fundus/Retinal Eye Camera.

This equipment is the second major gift to Nepean Emergency initiated by Lower Blue Mountains Rotary’s FONE Committee in recent months.

Earlier this year, a Lumify Vascular Scanner valued at $10k was donated to assist hospital staff to assist with inserting intravenous drips/cannulas in patients with difficult/ hard to find/small veins.

The FONE Committee members have also taken time to decorate some sections of the Emergency Department to create a more welcoming atmosphere for children.