Patients are benefiting from a new hospital ward opening up in Aberdeen.<\/p>\n
Neurosurgery patients suffering from acute illness, such as brain injuries, have been sharing a space at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary with neurology patients with chronic or life-limiting conditions.<\/p>\n
The two groups require different types of care and NHS Grampian has now launched a dedicated space for people admitted for neurology care.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Describing the layout before the change, consultant neurosurgeon Anastasios Giamouriadis said: We would have a patient who is recovering from surgery for a brain tumour and were expecting improvement nursed in a bed next to a patient with progressive motor neurone disease (MND) that we are trying to delay the worsening and deterioration of the neurological condition.<\/p>\n
As far as the staff are concerned these patients have different needs. Whereby neurosurgery patients need less and less support neurology patients need more support over time.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Caroline McIntosh, who is the senior charge nurse for the new neurology ward also known as Ward 204 said: Its an opportunity to enhance the already excellent care we are giving patients.<\/p>\n
Weve been working to specialities in one unit and doing it exceptionally well with lots of positive feedback.<\/p>\n
Claire McNab, senior charge nurse for the neurosurgery ward known as Ward 205 said: This is an evolution of the service we already offer to further improve the care we provide.<\/p>\n
The way you nurse both sets of patients is very different.<\/p>\n
Neurosurgical patients come in either for a listed operative procedure or with an acute illness where they receive surgery and then either go on to receive oncology services or rehab.<\/p>\n
They are with us for their neuro treatment be it brain surgery, spinal or something similar and then they tend to go on for specialist care in different areas.<\/p>\n
With neurology patients, because they usually have a life-limiting or chronic illness, like MS or MND, the management of that is quite different.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Ward 204 will have 10 beds and Ward 205 will have 17 beds maintaining the same number as before the change.<\/p>\n
Caroline said she hoped having two dedicated wards will help attract graduate nurses in both neurology and neurosurgery.<\/p>\n
She added: It will provide a better environment for learning for newly qualified nurses and we will hopefully capture their interest in one area and can go on to further their education and training from there.<\/p>\n
Hopefully over the next five years we will see benefits and staff vacancies will drop as a result and it will help us recruit new people and also retain them.<\/p>\n
Although we are going to be two separate wards it will still be a neuroscience floor and we will work together for the best of the patients.<\/p>\n
On the same floor is the neurophysiology department and we also have the planned investigation unit.<\/p>\n
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Read more from the original source: Patients are benefiting from a new hospital ward opening up in Aberdeen. Neurosurgery patients suffering from acute illness, such as brain injuries, have been sharing a space at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary with neurology patients with chronic or life-limiting conditions. The two groups require different types of care and NHS Grampian has now launched a dedicated space for people admitted for neurology care. Continue reading
\nNew Aberdeen hospital ward gives neurology patients the care they need - Aberdeen Evening Express<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"