A Cardio Pulmonary Exercise Testing Unit (CPX) worth $60,182 has arrived at Nambour Hospital’s Pre Anaesthetic Evaluation Unit in the Outpatients Department after being funded by Wishlist with the help of two 2013 events – the Exclusive ‘300 Club’ Melbourne Cup Charity Luncheon and Wishlists’ 2013 Tax Appeal culminating in the “Volksfest” celebration.

(Photo: Brenden and Carlie Brial from BOQ Mooloolaba and Chancellor Park see the new cpx unit in action as demonstrated by tamsim barratt, julie osgood & ewan wright)

As the first of its kind on the Sunshine Coast, the equipment is significant in that it signals the beginning of a new CPX Testing service for the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service due to commence on November 5, thanks to the hard work and dedication over the last five years of Linda McCardell (Nurse Unit Manager) and Julie Osgood (Clinical Nurse)

The CPX Unit is used to determine the fitness of a patient for surgery including testing their cardiac and respiratory fitness.

Julie Osgood from Nambour Hospital’s Pre Anaesthetic Evaluation Unit says the equipment will greatly assist clinicians in ensuring a patient’s pre and post-operative safety.

“Basically, this test determines the patients’ physiological capacity to cope with the demands of surgery,” Ms Osgood said.

“Undergoing surgery increases stress on the cardiac and respiratory systems and oxygen demand is increased by approximately 40 percent.

“The test is performed on an exercise bike and provides the clinician with an integrated assessment of a patients’ cardiovascular and respiratory system in less than one hour.

This will assist in the overall planning of both pre-operative and post-operative care, benefiting the patient in the hope of decreasing post-operative complications and decreasing their length of stay in hospital.

Wishlist CEO Lisa Rowe said the $60,182 raised to purchase the CPX Unit was achieved with the help of dedicated event committees.

“With another Melbourne Cup fundraising event planned for next week, it seems very timely that we can invite the organisers of last year’s event to see firsthand how their efforts are making a real difference to local patients," Ms Rowe said.

“The new CPX Testing service will measure the patients fitness for surgery therefore increasing the quality of life post-operatively. This is the only machine of its kind on the Sunshine Coast and will be of the great benefit to the Coast community."

The 2013 Exclusive ‘300 Club’ Melbourne Cup Charity Luncheon was organised by My Weekly Preview and BOQ Mooloolaba and Chancellor Park and raised $28,718 for the CPX Unit.

The balance was raised through Wishlist’s 2013 Tax Appeal which was well supported by local businesses and culminated in the ‘Volksfest’ event.