Press
Wellington: A New Zealand Success
The new NICU in Wellington Hospital is a 40 cot unit, comprising of 34 Level 3 cots (these 34 cots can be used by Level 3 and Level 2 babies because they all have similar service supports), and 6 Level 1 cots. Annual admissions are approximately 1000 babies.
The Unit has a selection of 14 ventilators plus 5 transport ventilators.
Tengseng Ong, Neonatal Nurse/Technician continues the story: “Since the SLE5000 ventilators were put into service, we have not used the SensorMedics 3100A HFV. All high frequency ventilation is now done using the SLE5000 and there has been a positive feedback from the clinicians and nurses. It is easy to use and is effective for the babies that we have used it on. It is also much more cost-effective than the SensorMedics 3100A which uses a dedicated circuit (approximately $600.00 each time). I do believe that the SensorMedics will become less and less used in future and become redundant.
The SLE 5000 is now the first choice ventilator for the sickest babies for 2 reasons: should HFV be required later we do not have to change ventilators, and because it is user friendly and staff are comfortable using it. The results have also been good and encouraging and that has given the staff faith in the ventilator.
We even used the SLE5000 as a transport ventilator during the migration to the new NICU and came off very impressed. Though we had planned using the SLE5000 for our ventilated babies, we were not sure if it could be done safely. We had taken all precautions and backups should it be required. The baby was also on nitric oxide (via the SLE Inosys). Dougal Whalley’s presence here on that day was also very reassuring, and the migration proceeded without any hitch. It was completed way ahead of schedule and everyone had settled in by 12.00 noon.
Using the SLE5000 and the GE Omnibed reduced the time of transporting all sick babies by 75%. Also the baby is not stressed at all because there was hardly any handling. We’ll be looking very seriously using this mode of transporting ventilated babies to theatres for procedures in future.”
“The Inosys is also the first choice with the nursing staff, mainly because they do not have to do the pre-use test, calibration etc which is what they have to do with the InoVents. However, although we have installed a water trap the filter still gets choked with water and has to be dried out”.
Dr Vaughan Richardson, Clinical Leader on the NICU summarises by saying “The staff love the SLE’s - especially the ability to switch between HFO (which is quiet) and SIPPV without changing the sets as well as the fact that we can move ventilated babies now without disconnecting them from the ventilator - making the move day go well.
Also, for the first time we are now able to have a baby going to theatre and remain on high frequency if we wish.”
Adelaide: Success Down Under
Located in the ‘city of churches’, that is Adelaide, Australia, the Women’s and Children’s Hospital is currently celebrating their first anniversary since becoming SLE ventilator users.
The Level 3 NICU has 16 bed capacities with an attached stepdown unit,
13 of the NICU beds have
the ability to be ventilated. They offer a retrieval service for all
of South Australia, as well as the Northern Territory, (which, as you
will find on any Australian map is a significant area to cover). The
clinical practice incorporates conventional and HFO ventilation strategies
and they have a growing focus to improve outcomes through the use of
advanced ventilation and the lung protection that these modes provide.
As a former Infant Star and Drager user, they decided to upgrade their
fleet of ventilators and purchased 9 SLE 5000’s since they found that
the performance and user-interface complemented their highly regarded
clinical practice well. They have since purchased a further SLE 5000
ventilator and two Inosys Nitric Oxide devices which have just been installed.
