ALTOONA – Altoona Regional Health System’s Intensive Care Unit solved a patient care dilemma with an assist from the Altoona Area School District Athletic Department and its donation of six football helmets.
A helmet is used to stabilize a device that is placed down a patient’s throat to control bleeding. The device is a tube with a balloon that is inflated to control massive bleeding from enlarged blood vessels that have ruptured due to liver problems. The tube is taped to the face guard of the helmet to prevent it from moving.
“We are extremely grateful to the Altoona Area School District for their donation,” said registered nurse Janet Ashurst, Intensive Care Unit nurse manager. “Repeated attempts to purchase helmets locally proved to be costly, if we could find them at all. And, since we can’t predict when such a need will arise, it’s best to have a helmet on hand.”
