Amnesty to save lives

13th October 2008

Amnesty to save lives

Tauranga Hospital’s children’s ward is offering an amnesty for the return of apnoea monitors, used for monitoring the breathing of sick babies and children.

Over the past year seven apnoea monitors have not been returned to the Children’s ward at Tauranga hospital or the Nursing Homecare Service.

Children’s ward nurse manager Lynnece Dowle says while they try to keep track of who has taken them, problems arise when families move house or people take them without letting staff know.

“These machines are used for life saving measures, and we really need them back,” she says. “They are a small, portable machine which is attached to the baby by a sensor. If the baby stops breathing the machine’s alarm goes off to alert the nurse or parent that help is needed immediately.”

Lynnece says the machines are quite distinctive, and she is hoping people will recognise them and return them.

“People might have noticed them at friends’ or neighbours,” she says. “If they are not being used, we need them back for our patients.”

Anyone wishing to return an apnoea monitor can drop it in to Tauranga Hospital, or call the hospital to arrange for it to be picked up.

ENDS

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