Rehabilitation
Joining the Spinal Injuries Association has allowed me to develop my career in new ways and promoted the role of occupational therapy within a national charity . I am so grateful to all my colleagues for supporting my journey and allowing me to bring some ‘ green trousered ’ perspective to the work that we do .”
Rehabilitation
Feature
Joining the Spinal Injuries Association has allowed me to develop my career in new ways and promoted the role of occupational therapy within a national charity . I am so grateful to all my colleagues for supporting my journey and allowing me to bring some ‘ green trousered ’ perspective to the work that we do .”
A spinal cord injury will impact all systems of the body from respiration and digestion to skin , bladder and bowel function , mobility and sensation . Consequently , getting the correct advice and support is crucial .
For those with a spinal cord injury above level T6 , there is the added complication of autonomic dysreflexia . This is a condition caused by the body ’ s response to a specific stimulus ( often bladder or bowel related ) and it can be fatal .
Over the last six years , the Spinal Injuries Association has developed a team of clinical specialist nurses to provide specific advice regarding spinal cord injury care in hospitals , nursing homes and residential settings .
As part of a national transformation project across spinal cord injury services , two additional posts have been created , which allowed me and colleague Mark Jarratt to join the team early in 2022 .
Each clinical specialist covers a geographical area ( see map ). Our referrals come from either the support line , the website , a support network colleague , or a healthcare professional .
As the first occupational therapist to join this team , my role is slightly different . I provide the clinical specialist role within the North East of England , but also give occupational therapy specific support across the other regions .
My induction days at the Spinal Injuries Association headquarters in Milton Keynes revealed two things . First , my colleagues were genuinely excited to have an occupational therapist working with them . And second , a need to clarify how my role might evolve .
Occupational therapy is such a diverse profession and I knew there was a danger of trying to meet multiple expectations without having a focused approach .
My first task was educating my colleagues about the role of an occupational therapist with spinal cord injury care . While my experienced clinical colleagues had all worked with occupational therapists and many support network colleagues had been treated by occupational therapists , my colleagues working in other areas of the charity did not know about the profession .
Sharing information about occupational therapy and my vision for the role felt hugely important – allowing me to be accountable and for expectations to be aligned .
I identified that my role would be divided into three separate areas – patient intervention , innovation and education .
Patient intervention
The patient intervention part of my role is similar in many ways to that of my clinical colleagues , except for providing some of the specific bladder and bowel care advice . For this , I partner with my colleague Carol Adcock , Clinical Specialist Nurse for the Northwest , to ensure that patients get the best advice possible .
My knowledge of bladder and bowel care is increasing and I will be participating in ongoing training ( within professional boundaries ) to extend this .
I visit newly-referred patients in hospital , at home or in hospices and nursing homes , to assess them and provide advice . I also give advice and support over the telephone to patients , family members and healthcare professionals about issues such as moving and handling , equipment , driving and care provision .
I can signpost to colleagues or trusted partners , allowing patients to get the support needed . Completing interventions remotely ( over the telephone or by email ) has had its challenges . Many therapists will have experienced this due to the pandemic and its implications .
It has encouraged me to think creatively . The charity actively encourages feedback to guide future developments . To stay accountable and provide justification for the role going forward , I keep a record of the types of interventions provided and outcomes of these .
Innovation
In terms of innovation , the charity is developing new ways to work with technology and my colleague Karen Biggs has been involved in streamlining our documentation and planning for a digital nurse system .
46 OTnews May 2023