SERHA Staff Received Training in Advanced Neonatal Respiratory Ventilation Therapies

Gerardo Diaz, Medtronic Product Representative, explains the new features of one of the five PB980 ventilators to the Neonatal Intensive Care staff members at VJH on August 16, 2023, during a training session.

KINGSTON, Jamaica. Monday, August 21, 2023: A total of twenty-five (25) Neonatal Intensive Care staff members employed by the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) received theoretical and hands-on training in advanced neonatal respiratory ventilation therapies on August 15 and 16, 2023. The training was conducted by a team of professionals, including Senior Respiratory Therapists and Biomedical Engineer staff from Medical Link and Medtronic, supporting the recent acquisition of five PB980 ventilators for the Victoria Jubilee Hospital (VJH) that were procured by SERHA. The aim of the training is to improve the staff's ability to better manage respiratory illnesses in newborns and infants requiring advanced respiratory care.

Mr. Errol Greene, Regional Director, SERHA, said that he welcomes this type of training as it will help the staff assigned to the High Dependency Units (HDUs) at the Bustamante Hospital for Children (BHC), Victoria Jubilee and Spanish Town Hospitals to appropriately diagnose and manage both common and rare neonatal respiratory conditions and become confident in applying advanced techniques of neonatal invasive and non-invasive respiratory support.

Mr. Jose Ramirez, Global Sales Training Manager (critical care) and Respiratory Training Manager at Medtronic said that training was focused on the latest developments in non-invasive and invasive ventilation for neonates now that the VJH has the latest technologies in mechanical ventilation in the country. "We accomplished a master class, technical training, and clinical immersion training in two days. The Jamaican clinicians and nursing staff are amazingly receptive," said Mr. Ramirez.

Dr. Samantha Walker, Neonatologist and Quality Assurance Coordinator at SERHA expressed gratitude to the SERHA Regional Board and Directorate for recognizing the need and facilitating the procurement of state-of-the-art ventilatory equipment at the VJH.

“This is the beginning of an in-depth and collaborative response spearheaded by the Regional Team in addressing gaps in high-dependency neonatal care not only at the VJH but also in other units across the SERHA," said Dr. Walker.

This training comes on the heels of an initiative where Neonatologists from the Regional Office and the BHC (Drs. Samantha Walker and Dr. Carmen Rhoden, respectively) were invited to provide technical support and management of clinical services in the neonatal HDU at the VJH recently, aimed at enhancing neonatal services.

Mr. Jose Ramirez (back from left), Global Sales Training Manager (Critical Care) and Respiratory Training Manager at Medtronic, and Mr. Gerardo Diaz (front from left), Product Representative and Respiratory Therapist (Medtronic), conduct a stimulated training for clinicians and nursing staff using a PB980 ventilator. The meeting, sponsored by Medical Link Ltd was held at Exim Bank on Tuesday, August 15, 2023.

SERHA Staff participating in hands-on training during a meeting sponsored by Medical Link Ltd. This meeting was held at Exim Bank on Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Contact: Ms. Shuwana Johnson

Public Relations Manager

South East Regional Health Authority

Tel: (876) 816-8058

Email: serhapublicrelations@gmail.com

Website: www.serha.gov.jm