QEII Hospital’s stroke care team has been named one of four endorsed Queensland stroke units to deliver best practice stroke care for 2022.
With a combined score of >=70% compliance with KPIs and minimal missing indicator data for 2022, the Ward 4B stroke care team earned themselves a Distinction Award at the Quality Stroke Service Awards in August.
Stroke Clinical Nurse Consultant Jessica Wood, who collected the winning data with the support of Consultant Geriatrician Dr Jerry Wong, says the award was a strong reflection of the team’s commitment to maintaining a high standard of care in the face of increased stroke presentations.
“It shows how the nursing staff have come together to maintain a high standard.
“It's important to also recognise the ED team with this award, because a lot of our KPIs are based on the ED and the excellent stroke care they provide in the early hours. The ED team work hard to make sure that our care is at the standard it needs to be, and if not, better.”
Dr Wong echoed the sentiment, praising the team’s collaborative approach.
“It was a combined effort from the multidisciplinary team, and it was a lot of hard work on their part, so I’m very proud of all the work they did,” he said.
While it is known to most as one of QEII’s biggest wards, among its staff and patients, Ward 4B is better known as a home away from home. Jessica says the unique community feel of 4B largely comes down to its people.
“It's really lovely to be here on 4B. I feel at home, the patients feel at home.
“The team work really hard to make sure they're doing everything they possibly can for the patients. It’s a really nice place to be, whether you're a staff member or a patient.”
While treating some of the hospital’s most complex patients within the shared stroke care and acute medical unit, Jessica says staff and volunteers work collaboratively to build an engaging community environment for patients as they navigate recovery and rehabilitation.
“Education is obviously important, but the care that the nursing staff and the allied health team provide really makes it for the patients.
“It is important to keep that going, to have that community approach as healthcare professionals, but also embrace the patients into our community and provide excellent care at such a challenging time.”
With a passion for patient education and almost a decade’s experience in neurosurgery and neurosciences under her belt, Jessica says she looks forward to applying her knowledge in new ways and growing QEII’s stroke unit going forward.
“We've received these awards a few times before for different components of the AusCR Registry, but this win means that we are still able to continue the care that we've provided over the years and also reach further next year.
“I would like to grow QEII in its ability to provide more hyper-acute stroke care to patients, and to grow the stroke unit overall, because we are servicing a lot more patients.
“We will always provide the best possible patient care that we can, but the staff are motivated to achieve even more.”
Congratulations to the 4B stroke care team.