Access to community support workers during hospital admission for people with spinal cord injury: a pilot study

This study explores how allowing people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) to have their regular support workers (SWs) assist them during hospital stays impacts their care. The pilot project aimed to improve SCI-specific care in non-specialist hospitals by enabling SWs to perform selected care tasks, potentially reducing secondary health complications and anxiety for patients. Researchers interviewed people with SCI, support workers, care agency staff, and hospital staff to understand their experiences with the pilot program. The goal was to evaluate whether having familiar support workers present improved the quality of care and whether implementing this practice more broadly would be feasible. The findings suggest that having SWs present during hospital admissions can lead to better individualized care, reduced anxiety for patients, and a reduced burden on hospital staff. However, challenges such as unclear roles, health and safety concerns, and funding issues need to be addressed for wider implementation.

• 1
  Participants with SCI felt more confident in the quality of their care when their support worker was present, as SWs understood their individual needs better than general nursing staff. This individualized care reduced anxiety and the perceived risk of secondary health complications.
• 2
  Support workers often acted as advocates for people with SCI, especially when patients had difficulty communicating their needs. SWs could provide input on medications and other care decisions, ensuring that the patient's preferences and medical history were considered.
• 3
  Hospital staff acknowledged the lack of SCI expertise in general hospital wards and appreciated the support provided by SWs. The presence of SWs allowed hospital staff to focus on treating the primary health condition, while SWs managed SCI-specific care needs.