Valero Grant Helps Local Patients
By: Boone County Health Center
We’re excited to announce we’ve received a grant from the Valero Energy Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Valero Energy Corporation, to purchase two new video laryngoscopes!
Valero operates the Valero Renewables-Albion ethanol plant.
The video laryngoscopes will be used at the Health Center to place breathing tubes so patients can breathe during surgery or after a critical injury.
“Our old video laryngoscope was functional, but no longer state of the art equipment,” said Steve Wooden, CRNA. “The new equipment will be state of the art for many years to come”
The video laryngoscope provides a video so staff can see the patient’s vocal chords and avoid possible issues while placing the breathing tube.
In the past, BCHC’s sole video laryngoscope was kept in the Operating Room (OR). Now, with two new video laryngoscopes, one can be kept in the Emergency Room (ER) and the other in the OR. This will make sure a video laryngoscope is always close at hand when needed quickly.
Having two video laryngoscopes will also provide a backup in case one would ever stop working. This will help avoid the need for placing a breathing tube using older methods, which only work on the first try 80.8% of the time and have a higher risk of problems.
The video laryngoscope allows the breathing tube to be placed on the first try 93.6% of the time. Success on the first attempt is vital, because it is closely linked with better results for patients.
“We’re grateful to Valero Renewables for their generosity,” said Wooden. “They’ve helped make sure we have the best equipment possible to care for our patients.”
“At Valero Renewables, we value the chance to give back to our community,” said Plant Manager Andy Roberts. “We’re happy to support BCHC’s efforts to care for the people who work and live in our area.”
Valero Renewables is known for their generosity and community support. They also fund BCHC’s Reach Out and Read program, which makes books free to local children.