Staff on Furness General Hospital's Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were delighted to receive a significant upgrade in training capabilities, thanks to a generous donation from the community.
Margaret Shepherd stayed in the ICU for two weeks, and following her return home, her loved ones organised a raffle to raise money for the unit. With support from Margaret's friends, family and local businesses they were able to donate £4,000.
After careful consideration, ICU staff decided to invest in a cutting-edge life support mannequin, the Atlas Life Support Manikin, to improve training for teams on the ward.
Chris Langley, Clinical Lead of ICU, expressed gratitude, and said: "Thank you for your donation. Your contribution will greatly enhance the delivery of training to the ICU and ensure we are well prepared to provide care to our patients.
"The mannequin will be used to deliver training to colleagues at all levels from student nurses and doctors to new starters and experienced staff."
Margaret Shepherd added: "I received such wonderful care from the staff at FGH, particularly the ICU staff who literally saved my life. Without their care, expertise and dedication to their vocation I wouldn’t be here today.
"They are the most inspirational group of people I have ever met. No amount of money will be enough to thank FGH for what they did for me and my family, but to be able to contribute to this cutting edge piece of equipment, which will help save lives in the future, is a huge privilege for me and my family, and the very least we could do."
The Atlas Life Support Manikin, can be integrated with existing training systems, allowing immersive simulations of clinical scenarios like patient deterioration, CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation), and airway management. It facilitates individual and team-based training, enhancing communication and teamwork skills. Colleagues can run any clinical scenario either working as pairs or in teams.
Please visit www.Bayhospitalscharity.org to donate or get involved with fundraising.