Hospital’s stroke rehab rated best
The Timaru Hospital’s assessment treatment and rehabilitation (AT&R) unit has gained a national award for its efficiency and effectiveness in treating stroke patients and getting them back home.
The Australasian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre (AROC) award certificate for best outcomes in stroke rehabilitation for 2019 arrived this week.
Nurses, a charge nurse manager, a clinical nurse specialist, a specialist physician and a physiotherapist are all on the team working towards the same goals of the patient learning to cope with their disabilities in their home environment and having quality of life.
Physiotherapist Sonya Veale said when it came to strokes every moment mattered so efficiency was important.
‘‘Out of all the New Zealand rehabilitation services we have achieved the best functional outcomes getting them back to their own home environment in the shortest amount of time.’’
Connecting with patient’s whanau and finding out what mattered to them, and what made life important helped with treatment plans and goals.
Specialist physician healthy ageing and rehabilitation Eric Bindewald said patients not only came with strokes but some had social needs and medical problems. Sharing detailed observations contributed to making successful plans for them.
‘‘We’re always thinking and documenting, where do they want to go and what is the next step. What do we need to do to get there and what are the barriers.’’
Overcoming some of the barriers may include an occupational therapist looking at their equipment needs in their home such as a shower grip.
The patients still had their own problem-solving skills, and were encouraged to use them, not rely entirely on the health team.