Press Release

New Bladder Scanner Improves Care

Burgess Health Center Auxiliary members, from left, Lou Hewitt, Mary Tramp and Jeanne Virtue join Missy Anderson (with nametag), medical-surgical nurse coordinator, to show off the new bladder scanner donated by the Auxiliary to eliminate unnecessary catheterizations.

The Burgess Health Center Auxiliary has funded a bladder scanner to improve quality of care by eliminating unnecessary catheterizations.

The scanner measures the amount of urine in the bladder using a portable ultrasound machine. It's expected to be used on post surgical patients and others on the medical-surgical patient floor.

"The only way we could check for urine retention in a patient in the past was to insert a catheter, an uncomfortable and annoying procedure," says Patty Sandmann, director of nursing. "A urinary tract infection can develop with a catheterization. While we did not have a problems with this associated with catheters, this scanner ensures that patients are not placed at risk of developing infections."

The Burgess Auxiliary gift offers several benefits, she adds.
"Our patients know this is a non-invasive, painless procedure which makes their care more pleasant," Sandmann says. "It can also reduce hospital costs, save time and help us monitor a patient's progress with more accuracy. It enables us to provide the highest standard of patient care."