Nursing Services

The nursing department at UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic is patient-centred and patient-focused. Our goal is to provide exceptional levels of quality care with a significant focus on positive outcomes and patient satisfaction.
Director of Nursing, Breda Brennan, provides strategic and clinical leadership for all nursing and related services.

NURSING PHILOSOPHY

The Nursing philosophy at the UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic incorporates the holistic care of our patients through the dedication, commitment and compassion of our devoted team. Support and development of our nursing staff is provided through education and training to facilitate evidence-based practice and achieve optimum care using integrated care pathways and nursing processes.

Our purpose at UPMC SSC is to place the patient at the centre of everything we do, thus ensuring that during each hospital visit or stay, the patient receives the highest standard of clinical care. We seek to achieve excellence in the delivery of our services and to build on our competencies and knowledge continually. This will ensure our services rank amongst the best in the country. Teamwork has and will continue to be central to our success at UPMC SSC. Equally, care and respect will be shown to all colleagues at all times, so that excellent working relationships can be forged from the beginning and maintained throughout.

INPATIENT WARD

This 91 bedded unit provides a contemporary, relaxing surrounding with every room having its ensuite bathroom, bedside entertainment system with internet, telephone, TV sports and movies.

The inpatient ward is divided into four wards and consists of private and semi-private rooms.

The patients who stay in our inpatient wards vary widely in age, ranging from 12 years upwards.

INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL

The Infection Prevention and Control (IP&C) program at the UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic is committed to reducing the risk of hospital-acquired infections in patients, visitors and healthcare workers.

Infection Prevention and Control Team (IPCT) consist of an Infection Prevention and Control Nurse (IPCN) and a Consultant Microbiologist.

The IPC&T undertakes surveillance to monitor alert organisms within the hospital and broader community. In addition, we conduct surgical site infection surveillance, and this data is presented to the Infection Control Committee (ICC) quarterly. Monitoring is a significant component of the infection prevention program.

Infection Control Committee meets quarterly to assess progress with annual plan and progress with key performance indicators set out by the committee.

Infection prevention and control guidelines are available in hard copy in each department and are available on the public hospital drive for all health care workers to access

Hand hygiene and infection control education is mandatory for all Health Care Workers on an annual basis.

Hand hygiene champion program in place to raise the profile of hand hygiene to ensure we maintain high standards of quality care.
Hand hygiene audit results to date comparable with national data available from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

DAY WARD

This is a modern unit designed to allow for efficient patient throughput, thus reducing the amount of time the patient needs to stay in hospital.

THEATRE

The facility has seven  state-of-the-art orthopaedic operating theatres, and the design of the theatres ensures maximum sterility.

The entire clinical team benefit from instant access to all digital modalities as well as the efficiencies created by the touch panel and voice control over the minimally invasive equipment such as the camera light source shaver and pump.

The Ortho-suite can easily transition between minimally invasive, total joint replacement and other orthopaedic procedures providing the benefits of control and information capture.  The benefits of image-guided technology, real-time documentation of procedures and the interaction of consultants between other theatres and other consultant suites.

RECOVERY ROOM

The recovery room is an eight bedded modern facility, which allows for high-quality monitoring of the patient in the immediate post-operative phase.

CSSD

  • The Central Sterile Services Department  (CSSD) plays a critical role in the clinic by acting as the first line of defense against surgical site infections (SSIs) by eliminating bioburden from instruments.
  • Following national and international guidelines, a team of suitable qualified CSSD technicians ensures all reusable surgical instruments are properly cleaned, decontaminated, sterilized and ready for safe use, reducing infection risk and enhance surgical outcomes.
  • In CSSD, a traceability system is in place which allows the complete tracking of re-processable medical devices through each stage of reprocessing, ensuring patient safety, regulatory compliance, and swift response to any sterilization issues or instruments recall.
  •  In UPMC SSC, CSSD reprocess reusable medical devices, equipment and materials for the 7 operating theatres, injection rooms, sports medicine and other clinical areas that might use them.

PAC

The pre-assessment clinic (PAC) in UPMC SSC is designed for patients undergoing major joint replacement, spinal surgery and minor surgical patients deemed medically or anaesthetically at risk.  It is a nurse-led service with the support of medical and anaesthetic consultants with assessments carried out two to four weeks prior to surgery.
The purpose of PAC is to ensure patients are in an optimal state of health before their Surgery at UPMC SSC.
Several tests are carried out on patients in the clinic including blood pressure, ECG, BMI, urine and blood tests as well as MRSA screening.  A medical questionnaire is complete, the appropriate doctor reviews the patient and early identification and intervention of pre-op problems are noted, and further investigations carried out if clinically indicated.
Pre-assessment also allows the patient to be fully informed of their treatment well in advance. They receive full information about what to expect and are provided with an opportunity to ask questions / discuss their procedure with a nurse or doctor.
Pre-assessment reduces unnecessary delays and cancellations.  The goal of PAC is to ensure patients are well informed and fully prepared for surgery, and any fears can be allayed well in advance.  It is essential to keep patients fully informed at all times and staff provide education to both patients and their family.

SERVICES PROVIDED BY NURSING DEPARTMENT AT UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic

• Haemovigilance
• Phlebotomy
• Wound Review Clinic
• Fitness Testing