Prineville Hospital Foundation buys new beds

Caregivers at Pioneer Memorial Hospital were beaming with excitement this week, as they watched 13 brand new hospital beds being assembled in the hallway!

The 2012 goal for the Prineville Hospital Foundation was to purchase the new in-patient beds costing $115,000 to replace beds that were over 17 years old and functionally obsolete.

Daleena Green, Prineville Hospital Foundation Director said, “Thanks to the generosity of our donors we were able to reach our goal and purchase the beds, which are a huge upgrade for our hospital.”

The new beds will not only provide more comfort but also come equipped with all the bells and whistles such as:

• The ability to weigh patients without having to get them out of bed
• Safety alarms that will alert caregivers to the potential dangers of patients getting out of bed unassisted
• Digital displays and night lights
• Hardware that provides a means for the patients to boost themselves into bed
• New mattresses that will provide comfort “without all the lumps.”

One of the beds purchased is a bariatric bed specifically designed for obese patients. Did you know that 30% of people in the United States are considered obese? In the past, patients who could benefit from a bariatric bed at Pioneer Memorial Hospital were not always accommodated because the hospital did not have a bariatric bed on site.

This equipment had to be rented on an as needed basis. With the purchase of the new bariatric bed these patients will have an appropriate size bed available immediately.

“What a gift for our community” declared Maggie, a registered nurse at Pioneer Memorial Hospital. “I recently had a patient in an old bed and the first comment from the patient was, ‘This bed is so uncomfortable!'”

Susan Myers, Inpatient Manager at Pioneer Memorial Hospital stated, “Our patients receive the best care from our caregivers! It will be wonderful for the patients to also receive a comfortable bed during their stay.”

Karen Reed, Chief Nursing Officer at Pioneer Memorial Hospital said, “When patients are ill or injured an inappropriate or inadequate bed can greatly increase the stress of hospitalization, with the new beds on site this is no longer a concern for our caregivers.”

About Prineville Hospital Foundation
The Prineville Hospital Foundation has been in operation since 1981, achieving its mission to support our local Pioneer Memorial Hospital by providing a continuous source of funds for the purchase of new equipment and other capital needs.

The Prineville Hospital Foundation’s Board of Directors are: Bobbi Brooks, President, Bill Gowen, Vice President, Laura Craska Cooper, Secretary-Treasurer, Jason Carr, Mark Copeland, Mary Thurman, Dr. Bruce Williams, and Darrel Wisseman.

To learn more about how you can support the Prineville Hospital Foundation in efforts to purchase new equipment for Pioneer Memorial Hospital, please contact Daleena Green, Executive Director at 541-447-2523 or visit www.PrinevilleHospitalFoundation.org