Role Title: SCGH Stroke Pathway Intern: Investigating comprehensiveness and responsiveness of services for patients with acute stroke
Organisation: North Metropolitan Health Service
Internship Period: Semester 1 (February - May)
Location: Nedlands
The project will consist of a file audit of 'usual practice' of SCGH Speech Pathology (SP) services to patients presenting with acute stroke to SCGH within the first 48 hours of admission. SP's are crucial in the acute period post-stroke for assessing safe mode of hydration/nutrition, managing and supporting impaired communication post-stroke, and making individualised assessment for rehabilitation. SCGH stroke admissions have more than doubled in the past nine years with no proportional increase in SP funding. It is difficult to provide the level of care recommended by the National Stroke Foundation with the increase in workflow.
Audit will capture two months worth of data from stroke patients seen by SCGH SP February-March 2024, including:
-timeliness of SP input
-education/training provided for acute swallowing and communication impairments post-stroke
-instrumental swallow assessments conducted (i.e. flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing - FEES)
It is hoped this data may support a business case to increase funding to SP for acute stroke services at SCGH. It will act as a comparison data set to a prior project conducted in 2024 which looked to improve the comprehensiveness and timeliness of SP services to acute stroke patients at SCGH.
Established in 2016, North Metropolitan Health Services (NMHS) is committed to providing excellent health care for our patients and our communities.
As one of the largest health services in WA, we provide a comprehensive range of adult specialist medical, surgical, mental health and obstetric services.