PRESS RELEASE – PLANS are well underway for the commissioning of the dialysis unit at Owen King-EU Hospital (OKEUH). With the high-end dialysis machines and chairs now in place and tested, training and orientation of new nurses for this unit commenced this week.
The dialysis unit at the OKEUH will soon replace the services being offered at the Victoria Hospital.
The provision of dialysis services are a major concern for the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Government of St. Lucia. Plans for commissioning the twelve newly-installed dialysis machines at the Owen King EU-Hospital are well-advanced.
This week, seventeen new nurses who were hired for the unit commenced their training and orientation on the various pieces of equipment in preparation for eventual commissioning of the dialysis unit.
Clinical Resource Nurse for the Dialysis Unit at the Victoria Hospital, EliahDeterville, provided further details on the training.
“We have some nurses here (who are) being oriented to the new equipment present on this unit. We do not have (some of the equipment here at OKEUH that we have) at Victoria Hospital. So there is a need to, before the imminent move, train the nurses to be able to use this equipment effectively. We’ve been training on the suction machine, dialysis machine, IV infusion pump, EKG machine, and some other equipment. The intention is that they will be more comfortable in using the various pieces of equipment at the OKEUH,” Deterville explained.
Biomedical Technician at Victoria Hospital, Caillin Henry, stated that the equipment is ready for use having undergone extensive testing and calibration by the equipment suppliers and installers.
“We work with Renal Dynamics out of Orlando, Florida, and basically tests being done are just for the safety of the patients. With the new equipment being installed, there are tests and calibrations that have to be done just to ensure that all is in order,” Henry said.
With the new equipment, training and increase in the staff compliment, the Ministry of Health and Wellness is projecting a significant improvement in patient outcomes and the delivery of dialysis services.