Specialised stroke unit opens

10/09/2009 | Specialised stroke unit opens

Tomorrow (11 September) will see the official opening of the Acute Stroke Unit at Palmerston North Hospital, a specialised area for the acute care of patients who have suffered a stroke.

Funded out of the MidCentral District Health Board’s Cardiovascular Plan, MidCentral Health has been operating a floating specialised stroke service since mid 2007 and describes the launch of the unit as the next step in strengthening the services available to patients who have suffered strokes.

The stroke unit is located on ward 26 at Palmerston North Hospital and will be managed by a multi-disciplinary team of health professionals including neurologists, specialised nurses, a physiotherapist, speech and language therapist, occupational therapist, dietitian, and social worker.

The unit can accommodate up to nine patients and is equipped with a mobile nurses’ station for 24 hour monitoring of patient progress, specialised monitoring equipment, and a therapy room for rehabilitative care. Staff in the unit all have a special interest in stroke and will receive ongoing professional development and training in the care of stroke patients.

Imogen Watson, stroke clinical nurse specialist, says that “the co-location of patients to the resourced unit allows the nursing team to deliver more effective patient care, support of families, and continuity of care delivery which will not only be beneficial to the patients, but also more rewarding to nursing staff.”

Dr Anna Ranta, stroke lead physician at MidCentral Health, says that by co-locating stroke patients in the unit, skilled staff are more able to quickly identify and carry out required interventions like swallowing assessments, early mobilisation and oral diet support.

“Having the right staff available at the critical times can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients and reduce the amount of time they spend in hospital. Continuous monitoring of a patient’s blood pressure, heart rate and brain function is crucial in the first 24-48 hours and allows us to assess and manage any decline in patient’s health.”

Dr Ranta believes it is likely the acute stroke unit will be used by more than 400 patients a year.