The Co-operative Funeralcare - Paulsgrove

The Paediatrics Department at Queen Alexandra Hospital are raising funds to buy a Blood Gas Analyser machine to help save children's lives. With their own machine, nurses will be able to deliver quick blood gas tests, prevent tests clotting which results in re-testing, and spend their time with patients at their bedside. Portsmouth Hospitals Charity serves the patients of Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust by improving existing facilities and by providing additional equipment, supporting research programmes and innovation in the development of services and education to both patients and staff. Our Paediatrics Department supports families from across Hampshire and Sussex, and sees over 8,000 patients a year. We have 42 beds across 2 wards and treats children aged 0-18years. We were M&S Charity of the Year 2016/17 for our local area. They helped us to raise funds for a Blood Gas Analyser machine for the Children's Assessment Unit in the Paediatrics Department. The machine measures the amount of oxygen & carbon dioxide in the blood. Imbalances in oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pH levels can indicate one of the following medical conditions: Kidney failure Heart failure Respiratory depression Uncontrolled diabetes Chemical poisoning A drug overdose Shock The department do not have their own Blood Gas Analyser and therefore have to go to another department within the hospital to borrow theirs, and this uses up crucial time that a nurse should be at the child's bedside. Last year Paediatrics did 50 gases a week, which equates to 433.5 hours a year of a nurses time off of the Ward and away from their patient. If you would like to get involved with fundraising, please get in contact.