Bladder Scanner Helps Emergency Patients Get Relief Sooner
Published Monday, July 27, 2026
Mary Takacs, Charge Nurse in the Emergency Department, with the donor-funded bladder scanner that helps healthcare teams quickly identify bladder issues so patients can get answers and relief sooner.
For patients at the Hospital who are unable to urinate, the pain can be severe.
"Once they get here, they can be in loads of pain," said Gareth Aegard, a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department. "Obviously, we want to alleviate that pain as quickly as possible."
Supporting that care every day is donor-funded equipment, helping Emergency Department teams quickly determine how much urine is in the bladder using a bladder scanner with ultrasound technology. The scanner helps confirm whether a blockage due to infection, injury, prostate enlargement, or another condition may be causing a patient's symptoms.
Having access to more than one bladder scanner is especially important in a busy Emergency Department. If one scanner is already in use, healthcare teams can continue assessing patients without delay, helping them get answers and relief sooner.
The scanner provides clear images and uses software to help identify the bladder and calculate volume, supporting accurate assessments and reducing the risk of misinterpretation.
Once a scan confirms there is too much urine in the bladder, nurses can provide immediate symptom relief while physicians determine the underlying cause.
Thank you for supporting the Health Sciences Foundation through donations, Foundation events, and Thunder Bay 50/50 ticket purchases. Your generosity continues to help Emergency Department teams identify bladder issues quickly so patients can find relief sooner.