The students with RNSH staff outside the emergency department
Support class from Chatswood High visits RNSH A support class from Chatswood High School recently visited Royal North Shore Hospital
The hospital therapy dog Vinnie also visited the students. Before they met with some NSW Ambulance staff members and were able to experience sitting on an ambulance stretcher and entered the vehicle which helped to alleviate any fears. They were also taken on a tour to see what happens behind the scenes of the hospital. They visited the linen store, kitchen and loading dock. The last stop was the Ambulatory Care Centre (ACC) which houses all of the hospital’s outpatient clinics. The students also received t-shirts to take home from the NSLHD Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service. RNSH ED Clinical Nurse Consultant Alison Partyka said the staff were grateful to have the students come and visit. “The RNSH staff had a lovely morning, and we felt the students did too,” she said. “We hope to have made a difference in the lives of these wonderful young people.” the emergency department, radiology, interventional neuroradiology, ICU, neurology,” she said. “We also have good executive support.” Sheila said as the service sees a lot of patients, staff in various departments have developed good skills. Aside from impressive clinical care indicators, the audit also found that 100 per cent of patients in RNSH received education about changing lifestyles, taking medication for high blood pressure and cholesterol, and various treatments that can help prevent another stroke. Sheila said the unit followed existing protocols and guidelines and was always working hard to make sure they were responding well to patients. “We’re all so happy with the results of the audit,” she said. The Stroke Foundation audit has been used to benchmark and provide feedback to clinicians and stroke care services in Australia since 2007.
as part of a valuable Life Skills Program. The class was made up of 11 students from years 10-12 who participate in a Life Skills Program. The program provides options for students with a disability. The curriculum is project-based learning encompassing a range of the topics and children are encouraged to be independent and acquire skills they need after leaving school. The topic for the students this term was based on learning about their health and the visit aimed to help alleviate any fears or preconceived ideas the students may have had about a hospital. During their visit the students toured the emergency department and met with a range of nursing and medical staff. The students wrote questions at school prior to their arrival for clinicians at the hospital to answer during their visit. Outstanding stroke treatment A 2023 national audit by the Stroke Foundation has found Royal North Shore Hospital’s stroke service is a beacon of excellence when compared to peer hospitals across the country. RNSH surpassed national standards and excelled across nearly all benchmarks. For example, an impressive 86 per cent of stroke patients received clot-busting therapy within the critical “golden hour” upon arrival at the hospital. This remarkable figure stands in contrast to the national average of 29 per cent and exceeds the national benchmark of 66 per cent. The findings were one of many underscoring RNSH’s commitment to providing swift and effective stroke care. RNSH Stroke Clinical Nurse Consultant Sheila Jala attributes the success of the service to the dedicated staff. “We have committed clinicians in the hospital, and everybody collaborates—
NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 1| 30 JANUARY 2024
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