Webinar: National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) PhD Students Natalie Gray & Meri Westlake

In this joint webinar Natalie Gray and Meri Westlake will be going through their NRC PhD projects including methods and findings so far.

Webinar: Friday 7 June, 1.00pm, Online - Microsoft Teams

Natalie Gray: "Early compared to late mobilisation following spinal cord injury"

Whilst rehabilitation is beneficial to the recovery of spinal cord injury, we initially use a period of immobilisation or ‘bed rest’ for 2-6 weeks, traditionally thought to allow the spine to rest and heal. The role of immobilisation has caused debate, with minimal literature and wide variation in practice. My study is exploring the risks and benefits of early or later mobilisation with the aim of creating best-practice guidelines. In this talk, I will explain the methods used to explore this topic and the challenges and findings identified so far.

Meri Westlake: "How do healthcare professionals recognise and respond to hospital acquired deconditioning? A mixed method synthesis and consensus"

Hospital-acquired deconditioning (HAD) occurs in nearly one in three adults over 65. The literature describes HAD broadly as a new loss of independence in one or more basic activities of daily living. It is unclear if these changes are independent or related to the expected deficits caused by the admitting illness or condition. A concurrent, exploratory, multi-method approach, underpinned by critical realism and guided by the Medical Research Council Framework, has been employed to develop a model of current clinical practices concerning hospital-acquired deconditioning. This presentation will cover preliminary findings from the three completed studies and discuss the next phase of study.

Following the talks from Natalie and Meri there will be time for discussion, networking and any questions for the RTN+ team. 

The Rehabilitation Technology Network+ is an EPSRC funded Network that brings together anyone interested in Rehabilitation Technologies with patient and public involvement being a core principle. We facilitate collaborations aimed at developing new technologies for rehabilitation.

Please register your attendance below.