• Clinical & Therapy Rehabilitation Services
• Brain Injury Programme
  • Rehabilitation Training Unit
• The Spinal Cord System Of Care (SCSC) Programme
  • SCSC Demographics & Activity 2009
• Prosthetic, Orthotic & Limb Absence Rehabilitation (POLAR) Programme
  • POLAR Demographics & Activity 2009
• Paediatric Family-Centred Rehabilitation
• CARF Accreditation / Quality Framework
• Outpatient Services
• Music Therapy

Clinical & Therapy Rehabilitation Services

At the National Rehabilitation Hospital, our system of care is organised around Rehabilitation Programmes and Teams.

Rehabilitation Programmes

Consultant led Rehabilitation Programmes at NRH are tailored to meet the individual needs of adult and paediatric patients. A ‘Programme‘ is defined by CARF as ‘A system of activities performed for the benefit of patients.‘

The Rehabilitation Team

Your Rehabilitation Team is made up of a range of specialists who will work together with you to help you achieve your agreed rehabilitation goals. Together with the Team you will develop your rehabilitation goals, then you will work towards your set of agreed goals. This will mean participation in treatment activities and education sessions. You and your family members are central to the rehabilitation process.

Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine

• The Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine is responsible for the overall treatment and coordination of your medical care while you are at the NRH.
• Medical Registrars support the Medical Rehabilitation Consultants; along with Senior House Doctors, they will provide your day to day medical care during your stay.
• Your Consultant may refer you to other Specialist Consultants, for example: Orthopaedics, Urology, Plastic Surgery, Radiology, or Psychiatry.
• Your medical team will liaise with your GP, the referring Consultant or other treating Consultants regarding your care.

Dietitian

• Assesses your nutrition.
• Helps you manage your dietary needs.
• Promotes healthy eating habits and provides education on how to stay healthy.
• Provides individual assessments and diet plans as required.

Liaison Service

• The Liaison co-ordinators provide a link between the hospital, home, and your health care professionals.
• They act as your advocate and liaise with referring hospitals to assess and evaluate your readiness and suitability for admission to our Rehabilitation Programme.
• Following discharge from NRH the Liaison Service continues to be available for advice and support for you, your family, and community health care professionals.

Occupational Therapist (OT)

• Helps you to regain skills used in daily living activities such as: dressing or bathing, work and hobbies.
• Helps you to identify equipment that will assist you to do daily living activities, for example, bathing equipment or adaptations for your computer.
• Assesses your home, work, and/or school setting, and then suggests modifications that will make it easier for you to carry out daily tasks.

OT – Therapeutic Recreation Service

The Therapeutic Recreation Programme offers a variety of activities for patients in the evenings and at weekends. These activities are designed to compliment your rehabilitation programme and enable you to develop specific skills as identified in your rehabilitation plan.

The service offers both group activities and one-to-one meetings including Clay Modelling, Art, Golf, Fishing, Karaoke, DVD nights, Music nights and much more.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Explore how you can return to leisure pursuits you used to enjoy.
• Explore new leisure pursuits that you may not previously have tried.
• Share some of the hobbies and interests that you enjoy with other patients.

Pastoral Care

• Provides support and counselling on request.
• Addresses your spiritual needs.
• Will assist you if you wish to contact representatives of other faiths.

Pharmacist

• Reviews your medications.
• Helps you to understand your medications and how to take them.

The Pharmacy service at the National Rehabilitation Hospital provides pharmaceutical care for patients from each of the hospital’s rehabilitation programs. The service involves the procurement, dispensing and review of patient’s prescriptions and the provision of drug information.

The goal of safe, effective, economic use of medicines is achieved through a close working relationship with medical and nursing staff.

The Pharmacy staff at the National Rehabilitation Hospital are actively involved in developing the service through continuing education and service initiatives.

Physiotherapist (PT)

Your physiotherapist will develop a specific programme for you which will aim to:

• Improve your flexibility, strength and exercise tolerance.
• Teach and help you to practice skills and techniques to maximise your functional ability and independence.
• Optimise your mobility and assess for and prescribe appropriate equipment.
• Treat and manage pain.
• Refer you to other physiotherapy departments such as sports and fitness or hydrotherapy.

Respiratory Physiotherapist

• Monitors the health of your lungs.
• Gives you treatments to keep your lungs clear.
• Assesses need for respiratory equipment.

Prosthetist and Orthotist

• The Prosthetist/Orthotist produces and fits all artificial limbs, plastic cosmetic appliances and other prosthetic devices.
• Helps you learn to wear and use your prosthesis/orthosis correctly.
• Provides follow-up care post discharge in the NRH clinics or regional clinics around the country.

Psychologist

• Assists you and your family to come to terms with the effects of the difficulties you may experience as a result of your injury/illness.
• Helps you identify your own resources and coping mechanisms for dealing with the effects of injury/illness.
• Provides specialist neuropsychological assessment if you have sustained a brain injury.

Social Worker

• Gives emotional support to you and your family.
• Gives you and your family information you may need in the future about community agencies.
• Helps you solve personal problems that may come up and assists you with discharge planning.

Speech and Language Therapist

• Assesses and treats any communication difficulties that you may experience as a result of your injury / illness. Communication skills include speaking, understanding, reading and writing.
• Assesses and treats swallowing difficulties that you may experience as a result of your injury / illness.
• Provides education and support to you and your family about your communication and swallowing skills.
• Provides advice and training on supportive communication devices. An example is a computer that speaks a word or sentence when you touch a button.

Medical

• The Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine is responsible for the overall treatment and coordination of your medical care while you are at the NRH.
• Medical Registrars support the Medical Rehabilitation Consultants and with Senior House Doctors will provide your day to day medical care during your stay.
• Your Consultant may refer you to other Specialist Consultants, for example: Orthopaedics, Urology, Plastic Surgery, Radiology, or Psychiatry.
• Your medical team will liaise with your GP and referring Consultant regarding your care.

Rehabilitation Nurse

• Nursing staff provide care, support and encouragement throughout your stay and provide an important communication link with other members of the team.
• Helps you practice what you are learning in therapies and teach you and your family how to handle your personal care.
• Clinical Nurse Specialist in Sexuality is available to provide counselling to you and relevant others on the impact of your injury on sexuality.

Health Care Assistant

• The Health Care Assistant helps provide care and general assistance to you during your stay.
• Assists you in doing certain daily tasks as you progress through your rehabilitation such as dressing, toileting, showering and feeding.

Nurse Liaison Service

• The Liaison Nurses provide a link between the hospital, home, and your health care professionals.
• They act as your advocate and liaise with hospitals to assess and evaluate your readiness and suitability for admission to a Rehabilitation Programme at NRH and continue to link with you post discharge from NRH.

Dental Services

The Dental Unit at the National Rehabilitation Hospital provided dental services for inpatients of the hospital and also for outpatients with special needs from the Dún Laoghaire Area. The dental service offers mainly a primary care dental service.

Dental assessments are offered to all new inpatients admitted to the NRH and dental treatment is provided to patients as appropriate.

Dental treatment for inpatients is mostly limited to treatment that can be provided within the time available while they are at the National Rehabilitation Hospital. Onward referrals of patients being discharged from the hospital are organised where required to other regions of the country’s public dental service.

In addition to the Clinical & Therapy Services provided at NRH, our Support Services / Departments are central to the effective delivery of the Rehabilitation Programmes provided to our patients and their families.