The Hancock County Health System has reported an update on its renovation project:
The new building and renovation project at Hancock County Memorial Hospital resulted in 25 beautiful, private patient rooms. “The new rooms are much larger than the old semi-private rooms,” said Vance Jackson, CEO/Administrator for Hancock County Health System (HCHS). “The added space allowed us to purchase state-of-the-art patient beds that dramatically reduce the risk of caregiver injury and improve patient outcomes.”
Many of the old patient beds were sold to the public but there were a few left that would need to be put into storage. North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) Practical Nursing Instructor, Brandi Hiscocks, BSN, RN, heard about the old beds and approached HCHS about the possibility of donating what was left to the NIACC Nursing Lab in Mason City. According to Curt Gast, Facilities Director at HCHS, this was a great idea. “We did not want to pay to store old equipment and we could help NIACC upgrade the medical equipment they use in the classroom.”
The Nursing Lab received eight electronic patient beds with matching night stands and over the bed tables. “It’s so important for the students to learn in a realistic environment,” said Hiscocks. “Having a basic understanding of how a patient room is set-up and how to operate a motorized patient bed makes that first encounter with a new patient a little less intimidating and much safer for both the patient and the caregiver.”
Nursing students, Michelle Ellison and Katie Hawbaker, both expressed how much they appreciate learning on the newer equipment so they can practice in the lab before experiencing a real patient encounter in the clinical environment.
