Hospital’s medical-surgical unit gaining traction

Thanks to donor generosity, Longs Peak Hospital recently acquired traction equipment used to reduce pain and realign fractures. The new equipment is known as Buck’s Traction.

“Buck’s Traction is used to help realign a fracture by applying weighted pressure on the extremity using a pulley system,” said RN Kari Johansen, clinical manager of the hospital’s acute care and medical-surgical units. “It also helps decrease pain in the affected extremity while the patient waits for corrective surgery.”

As more and more people seek UCHealth’s advanced care, LPH continues to experience an increase in patient admissions. To serve its ever-growing patient base, Johansen said the hospital has set a goal of becoming an Orthopedic Center of Excellence. A designation such as this demonstrates an organization’s commitment to continuous performance improvement, providing high-quality patient care and reducing risks through clinically proven, evidenced-based care of orthopedic patients.

The traction device arrived in February, and education of staff is underway. The equipment is housed on the medical-surgical unit, which cares for patients hospitalized with a wide variety of conditions, including fractures. Care providers on this unit also prepare patients for surgical procedures and provide post-surgical care required until the time of discharge.

“Our team here extends a big thank you to the supporters whose gifts to the foundation made this purchase possible,” Johansen said. “Their generosity is helping bring world-class care closer to home for the people of Longmont and the surrounding area.”