The exceptional contribution of the Boutique des Auxiliaires and its volunteers.
Cowansville November 20 2024 – The BMP Hospital Foundation wishes to acknowledge the exceptional contribution of the Boutique des Auxiliaires and its volunteers. Last year’s activities enabled the Boutique to contribute $42,000 towards the purchase of five pieces of equipment for the BMP Hospital’s Respiratory Therapy Department.
From patient care to training
The equipment financed by this donation is :
- A surplus patient block and patient block for the anaesthesia machine, enabling operations to be maintained without interruption and avoiding travel and interruptions in the event of maintenance;
- A portable video laryngoscope – a new device that can be easily transported and used in a variety of emergency situations and advanced airway management;
- A bedside Bipap to initiate home ventilation therapies prior to patient discharge. This device enables us to assess patients’ specific needs and adjust their therapy before discharge, thus avoiding prolonged ICU stays;
- A saturometer to measure patients’ hemoglobin quickly and non-invasively. This improves the reliability of results during respiratory function tests, reducing the need for blood sampling;
- We have also acquired simulation equipment with several essential tools for training nursing staff locally:
- A torso for complex airway management, enabling total autonomy in our training courses.
- A neonatal resuscitation table to enhance the quality of our neonatal resuscitation courses, offering constant availability.
- A premature baby mannequin to make resuscitation simulations more realistic.
- An arterial puncture arm, enabling respiratory therapists to practice on a mannequin before performing punctures on patients.
Invaluable collaboration
The BMP Hospital Auxiliary volunteer group has been active since 1954. Through fund-raising and daily sales of snacks and small products, over $842,000 has been invested to date, thanks to the Auxiliary, to improve health care specifically at the BMP Hospital. In the Petit Musée BMP (located in the hospital’s main hall), a small exhibition was prepared last June to highlight the history of the organization since its inception, and also to pay tribute to the men and women who, since 1917, have given their time and energy to the health of our hospital and its users.
Volunteers motivated by change
In 2023, the BMP Hospital Auxiliary joined forces with the BMP Foundation. This led to a number of innovations, including the introduction of credit and debit card payment systems – a service long requested by visitors to the boutique! The products on sale have also been reviewed to adapt to new needs. Over the past year, the team of volunteers has shown exceptional commitment to understanding the new elements and making the change – and one year on, monthly sales have almost doubled!
New fundraising
Building on the success of recent changes, the BMP Foundation and the Auxiliary team are working on a few new fundraising initiatives via the Boutique. We’re working hard to bring you these new activities in the coming months!
