Breast Friends and Harry Abtosway recently donated $6,696 to purchase a Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) pain medication infusion pump
The Patient Controlled Analgesia pump or PCA is a special computerized infusion pump that holds pain medication and delivers it through an intravenous line (IV). The pump enables the patient to give themselves pain medication and to control the amount of medication being received for pain relief. Pain control helps the natural healing process and decreases anxiety in the patient.
"We are very pleased to receive these donations, which will allow us to purchase one of the PCA pumps that we really need in the Regional Health Centre," said Ross Fisher, Executive Director of The Health Foundation. "We have just started our fundraising campaign for these pumps, and we are very pleased with the strong support to help us purchase them."
PCA pumps have been in use since the early 1970's and have been the standard of care for patients with intense pain for the last 8 years. Sunrise has had several of the pumps on trial in the regional health centre for the last few months and staff and patients have found them to be very effective.
"It is time we had this technology here and available to patients in the regional health centre," said Ross Fisher, Executive Director of The Health Foundation. During the trial period, Sunrise determined that six pumps were needed.
"We are very grateful to the Breast Friends and to Harry Abtosway, and his family and friends who made donations for this pump in memory of Harry's wife Jean who recently passed away," he continued.
"We are very pleased to support the purchase of these pain medication pumps, they will clearly provide a benefit patients, increasing their comfort and assisting their recovery," said Jeannie Johnson, of Breast Friends. "In addition to better pain management for the patient, the PCA pumps will also help nurses by giving them the tools they need to give the patients the best care possible."
