Nursing care in the neurological ward
The neurology ward also cares for patients at different stages of life with various neurological conditions. For these patients, too, close cooperation with relatives is an important prerequisite for optimal implementation of the interdisciplinary treatment plan.
Acute and rehabilitative care in the stroke and post-stroke unit
Nursing after stroke describes the nursing contribution to the care of people after an acute stroke in the stroke and post-stroke unit at the USZ.
A special feature of caring for patients who have suffered a stroke in a stroke unit is the simultaneous and combined provision of acute care and rehabilitative care. The focus shifts as the patient’s symptoms progress and there is a seamless transition from acute care with monitoring and diagnostics to rehabilitative care, which is provided in the post-stroke unit in particular.
In addition to treatment care, assessments and prophylaxis, the focus of acute care is on ensuring the vital needs and well-being of patients. In the acute phase after a stroke, this particularly includes comprehensive personal hygiene, support with movement and elimination, as well as building relationships with the patient and relatives. The focus of the relationship work is on building mutual trust and a sense of security.
In rehabilitative care, particularly in the post-stroke unit, measures are carried out that are based on specialist nursing knowledge and contribute to rehabilitation, i.e. the patient regaining the greatest possible level of function and independence. In order to achieve the goal of maximum independence, patients are intensively supported, accompanied and instructed by nursing staff in the training of perception, orientation, movement, swallowing, etc.
The best patient outcomes are achieved when patients receive rehabilitative care 24 hours a day and in close cooperation with the therapeutic team. The rehabilitative care interventions are based on the principles of the Bobath, basal stimulation and kinaesthetics concepts and are based on current research findings, for example on early mobilization after a stroke.
Neurosurgical care
The care of patients with neurosurgical conditions is based on the definition of Professional Nursing USZ. In the case of neurosurgical patients, the focus is particularly on identifying the resources, support requirements and needs of the patient and their relatives. When caring for those affected, the main focus is on identifying the existing resources of even the most severely affected patients and activating them through targeted nursing interventions.
When caring for patients diagnosed with a brain tumor, nursing staff take into account that a brain tumor can change the personality. In order to do justice to the comprehensive care and nursing approach, the nurse clarifies the patient’s life situation and that of their relatives on admission with the help of assessment instruments and screening tools such as the “stress thermometer”.
Patients suffering from this incurable disease have access to an interdisciplinary care team consisting of nursing, multidisciplinary medical services, a psycho-oncology service and therapeutic services.
