MyCare Journal

Abstract

Apple ward in Hinchingbrooke Hospital consists of both medical andstroke patients. Many patients on the unit have had ailments which affecttheir communication, which ranges from dementia to dysarthria followingstrokes. The aim of this project was to provide a tool that would helpstaff be more familiar with patients who may struggle to communicateand provide more comfort in their care, for example by playing TV showsthey enjoy, or providing food and beverages they enjoy, which wouldmake their stay in hospital more pleasant. To develop a communicationtool which would enable the staff on stroke/geriatrics ward atHinchingbrooke hospital to provide personalised care for patients whomay struggle to communicate. The leaflet was based off ‘Patient Passports’which were used in the critical care unit in Salford Royal hospital. TheMyCare journals are to be filled by family/friends and left at the bedsidefor staff to access when needed.I developed the MyCare journal on Canva and I used bright colours todraw attention from the audience. I took inspiration from the questions on the original Patient Passport but tailored them to make them moresuitable for the geriatrics/stroke ward. I used semi-structured interviewsto assess feedback from relatives and staff and provided them with copiesto keep and use. The questions included their view on the design,prompts, and whether they would change anything with the MyCarejournal. Overall, I interviewed three patient families, two doctors on themedical team, and one stroke occupational therapist.This is an ongoing pilot project, so I am continuing to gain feedback.So far, there has been overwhelming positive feedback from families,they have liked the purpose of the leaflet and the design. They alsofound the section on mobility aids and glasses extremely useful. Thefeedback from the medical and therapy team has also been very positive,they felt that it would help to personalise patient care and makethe patients more comfortable during their stay. Overall, families havegiven positive feedback on the MyCare journal. One challenge I havefaced is how to encourage use of the passport on the ward as this wouldrequire ongoing prompts to ensure it is given to patients with communicationdifficulties. There was quite a limited sample size, partially dueto time constraints and partially due to the fact that not all familieswere available. There is also difficulty in implementing and keeping theproject going. I discussed this with the occupational therapy team; theypreviously had a similar project ongoing, and they were keen to use thisone with patients.