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Hospital auxiliary gets tour of new equipment they bought for QVH

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Rubyanne Meda


In the rehabilitation room at Queen Victoria Hospital, Doris Folkens is playing Wii. She's not goofing off and ignoring her exercise – she's taking part in an activity that will help her recovery.

"The balance board really helps to gain your balance and your function, and it's a lot of fun," said Rubyanne Meda, the manager of rehabilitation services at the hospital.

The Wii is just one of the many new pieces of equipment at Queen Victoria Hospital purchased thanks to money raised by the Revelstoke Hospital Auxiliary.

And the other items are much more sophisticated and expensive.

The rehabilitation room alone has purchased about $70,000 in equipment during Meda's time at the hospital, she said. Those items include stationary bicycles, exercise mats, tables and electrotherapy equipment.

Recently, the department purchased two specialized walkers and two fully-adjustable beds, at a cost of more than $3,000 each.

"They're totally manoeuvrable so we can position people comfortably," said Meda.

The equipment was presented during a tour given to members of the Revelstoke Hospital Auxiliary and the media to show off the fruits of the auxiliary's fundraising efforts, that saw it purchase $166,735.84 worth of equipment for the hospital in 2010, $84,242.23 more approved in February, according to Julie Lowes, the site manager of Queen Victoria Hospital.

The funding from the auxiliary allows the hospital to purchase equipment that the hospital management deems a priority but is not approved for purchase by Interior Health.

"If something that's a priority hasn't been approved, then we would discuss that at our managers meeting and put that forward to the auxiliary," said Lowes. "They're very diligent and ask as much information as possible so they can take it back to their members."

Over in the radiography department a new single plate reader and computed radiography console used for scanning x-rays was on display. The new console means the hospital now has two such computers.

"When we have multiple traumas we can use both now, so it really speeds things up," said radiographic technologist Heather Jay.

The next stop on the tour was the recovery room, where nursing co-ordinator Deena Crane showed off close to $90,000 in new equipment including a $4,023 head lamp with light source, an $895 portable opthalmascope (used for eye exams), $54,720 video colonoscope and $29,865 in arthroscopy instruments.

"For the emergency department, this is quite a pricey piece of equipment," Crane said.

Back in the hallway, there were more items mentioned such as a $46,740 infant warmer system used in the maternity ward. All in all, the purchases add up and make a substantial difference to the hospital.

"We're very fortunate in this community," said Lowes. "Talking to colleagues, we get way more support than what some other communities get."