Lynda Hession

I have significant orthopaedic experience in the acute setting as I have worked for the last 18 years. I have the experience to deal with pre and post op patients and educate them regarding their upcoming surgery and recognise the signs of concern to escalate further when warranted.

I have day to day management of the ward as current senior staff role. I can plan, implement, co-ordinate and evaluate care in collaboration with the patient, family and the multidisciplinary team to plan discharge or transition of patient to other step down facilities. I can assess, reassess and manage patient care to ensure the highest standards using evidence based practise.

I engage in continuous professional development, I am up to date with all mandatory training programmes. Due to the rise in poly trauma patients admitted to our unit, I have experience with spinal cord injury patients and complications e.g. Neurogenic bowel. I took initiative to train the junior staff nurses and adaptation nurses who were not familiar with best nursing practise in relation to neurogenic bowel management. Although previously trained in neurogenic bowel care, I have enrolled in a neurogenic bowel programme ran by the National Rehab Hospital to further my education and I have recently applied to the NRH to become a trainer in neurogenic bowel management.

Another initiative which I have become involved with is the Orthopaedic Delirium Management Initiative. As I had undertaken a literature review in Post op Confusion in the Elderly whilst doing my Higher Diploma in Orthopaedic, I was eager to become involved with this initiative. Together with the Occupational therapists, the Dementia nurse and other personnel, this programme was set up to identify and help to reduce post op delirium in Patients. We meet as a team regularly to discuss the patients pre op who may be at risk post op, and identify factors such as medication, environment, pain or infection which may contribute to their delirium and try to reduce these risk factors.