April 26, 2016
Pleased with the purchase of a cardiac telemetry system for the Fairview Health Complex are, from left, Stan Burkholder, Chair of the Fairview Health Complex Foundation, licensed practical nurses Donna Schneider and Catrina Schneider (here posing as a patient, holding a mobile cardiac monitor) and Site Manager Charles Taylor.
Story by Kerri Robins; Photo courtesy of Christopher Eakin, Postmedia
FAIRVIEW — All the ‘heart’ work has paid off.
The Fairview Health Complex received a new cardiac telemetry system in January thanks to the fundraising of $100,000 on behalf of the Fairview Health Complex Foundation.
The system uses real-time data to measure patients’ heart function from a central monitor at the nursing station.
“The new system offers some nice benefits over the old system,” says Charles Taylor, site manager at the Fairview Health Complex.
“We get sharper, crisper on-screen images than before, along with its mobility and wireless capabilities.”
Taylor says patients are fitted with a mobile cardiac mini-monitor, about the size of a cellphone.
Because of its mobility, staff can perform other tasks with the peace of mind that they’ll be notified immediately of any heart concern, like an irregular heartbeat.
Aside from being a painless and non-invasive technology, Taylor adds the telemetry system enhances care by helping streamline workflow, and it produces a rhythm strip — much like a ticker-tape — which creates a written record for staff of the patient’s heart function.
“It also adheres to our strict infection control standards and is easy to clean because of its smooth surfaces and minimal seams,” says Taylor.
Cardiac telemetry systems are an advantage over older, stationary models — which required a patient to be confined to their bed while tethered to sensors attached to their chests for monitoring. The older models meant staff had to continually sit at a patient’s bedside to keep an eye on heart rhythms and function.
The cardiac telemetry system can monitor four patients at a time and, since being installed in January, it’s been used two to four times a week.
Stan Burkholder, Chair of the Fairview Health Complex Foundation, says he’s proud of his community.
“Our community members always come through and support our local health care,” says Burkholder. “The donations we received, and the short time it took us to raise the funds for this equipment is nothing short of amazing.”
“I’m really fortunate to be part of such a caring community.”
For details, visit www.albertahealthservices.ca/give.
