Team members on one of Bridgepoint’s inpatient stroke units are making final preparations for a visit from Accreditation Canada surveyors.
Bridgepoint’s inpatient and outpatient Stroke Program teams are always busy and buzzing with activity, but this week there’s a sense of anticipation in the air. The teams are making their final preparations for their Stroke Distinction site visit September 9 to 11.
The surveyors from Accreditation Canada will visit the two inpatient units and the ambulatory care centre, talking to employees, physicians, patients and family caregivers. When talking with employees the surveyors will present hypothetical cases and ask questions. As part of their final preparations, teams have been participating in sessions simulating these types of questions. Lan Ao, Registered Nurse, says this helps the team to feel more confident and know what to expect during the visit. “We know that they’ll be asking about procedures that we follow every day when we’re providing care. We just need to be able to translate this and demonstrate this to the surveyors.”
Paul Corteza, Advanced Practice Nurse and Nurse Educator for the Stroke Program says the teams will be ready. “The teams will have the opportunity to show the surveyors our processes and protocols that are in place to ensure we’re following best practices in stroke care. We’ll also have the opportunity to highlight innovative projects we have been working on to enhance care.”
One aspect of care that the surveyors will be looking for is education for patients and families to support them in optimizing well-being after stroke. Bridgepoint’s Stroke Education Series is one example of this. “We’re really looking forward to showing the surveyors the progress we’ve made in building on this series,” says Sandy Duncan, Clinical Lead for Occupational Therapy. “We’ve added additional sessions to make it easier for patients and families to attend and we’re also developing videos as another way of delivering this important information.”
Stroke Distinction is a designation awarded by Accreditation Canada to health care organizations for excellence and innovation in stroke care. Bridgepoint achieved Stroke Distinction designation in 2013 and 2015 and is aiming to renew its designation this year.