Community members improve care for patients requiring Day Surgery at Guelph General

Guelph General Hospital’s Day Surgery Unit (DSU) received 12 new Blood Pressure Monitors – all funded through the support of our caring community.

Blood pressure monitors are used in DSU before and after surgery for every patient.

Dr. Ayman Rofaeel, MD, FRCPC, Chief of Anesthesiology at GGH, explained that the monitors are used in the pre-op consultations that take place before the patient’s scheduled surgery, “We need to evaluate blood pressure in advance so that there is time for interventions that can get it under control by day of surgery. If blood pressure is too high, there is an increased risk of bleeding and an increased chance of stroke during surgery.”

The monitors are also used on the day of the surgery. Sue Parkinson, BScN, RN, GGH’s DSU Resource Nurse explained that the “assessment of blood pressure with its many variables can tell a great deal about a patient’s immediate health status, and if it is safe to proceed with the surgery.”

She also explained that after surgery, blood pressure tells caregivers how well a patient is recovering. For example, elevated blood pressure may indicate pain and the team can give the patient pain medication to keep them comfortable.

New equipment always comes with advanced technology that allows clinicians to provide even better care. In this case, the monitors can be set to automatically take blood pressure readings at timed intervals, which is especially helpful for patients who are unstable or require vital signs to be taken more frequently to improve their monitoring and safety. There is also a function that easily provides blood pressure history.

The new blood pressure monitors, which arrived in the spring of this year (2021), were urgently needed because the existing ones were well-worn from years of use. They were breaking down frequently and parts were becoming hard to get. The new monitors also expand the fleet, which means nurses spend more time with patients and less time looking for equipment.

The increased number of monitors also allows the DSU to have a dedicated blood pressure monitor in each of the five pre-op consulting rooms. “Before, we were always searching for a monitor which is time wasted. And, by having all the tools we need on hand, patients have greater confidence in our ability to care for them,” said Dr. Rofaeel.

These new blood pressure monitors were funded through proceeds of the 2020 Tour de Guelph fundraising event.
“Thank you to everyone who participated in Tour de Guelph 2020, including the riders who fundraised and all their family and friends who supported them with donations. The impact of these machines on patient care has been very positive. We appreciate so much your wonderful efforts and support,” said Parkinson.

Dr. Rofaeel also shared words of thanks, “We deeply appreciate the support. The monitors are a big help to us and improve our level of service to patients.”