Stroke team

The team looking after you

The stroke team are a group of health professionals who will work with you to treat different problems after a stroke. You and your family are important members of the team.

The team members will work with you and your family while you are in hospital and sometimes when you go home.

The care you receive, and the members of the team who work with you, will depend on the problems you are having after your stroke. Some teams do not have all the members we describe here. Talk to your doctor if you think you need to see a member of the team who has not been available to you.

Doctors

When you are in hospital a team of doctors will be looking after you. This will include the consultant, a medical registrar and a resident. Your general practitioner will work with you when you go home.

Consultant

The consultant is the doctor in charge of your hospital care. He or she is responsible for making sure that the team knows what has happened to you and why.

The consultant not only has to manage the medical problems of the stroke but any other past medical condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, urinary infection, etc. Your consultant may be a neurologist, physician or geriatrician or may specialise in another area of medicine.

Registrar and Residents

The registrar and resident report to the consultant and are responsible for your day to day care. You will see these doctors every day. They coordinate assessments and management under the direction of the consultant.

General Practitioner

Your general practitioner (GP) is an important member of the team who will work with you when you go home. In some parts of Australia a GP might look after you in hospital. Your GP will work with you in lowering your chances of another stroke through medication and lifestyle changes.

Your GP can also work with you if you feel you are depressed or having trouble getting used to life after stroke. Your GP can help you work out who might be best to help you with problems you are having when you go home and refer you to the people who might be able to help.

Nurses

When you are in hospital a team of nurses will look after you 24 hours a day. Usually they change every eight hours although this does vary. The nurses will check and monitor your progress and talk to your doctor and other members of the stroke team.

Your nurse can help you with every day activities such as washing, eating, going to the toilet and moving. As you recover your nurse will be working closely with all the member of your team to help you regain your independence.
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Dietitian

If you are having problems with swallowing the dietitian will watch what you are eating or getting via the feeding tube. This will help make sure you are receiving the nutrition you need. The dietitian will also talk to you about a healthy diet that will help you avoid another stroke.

Occupational Therapist

The occupational therapist (OT) will help you work out ways to do the things you do every day. This might be how you shower, get dressed, cook or go shopping. The OT can give you information and advice on driving and returning to work and hobbies.

The OT may show you new ways to do things or suggest equipment that will help you return to life after stroke. The OT may look at how easy it is for you to remember things or think through problems if this is hard for you. Before you go home your OT will work out what equipment might make it easier for you to look after yourself. This might also include making changes to your home (like putting in rails).

Physiotherapist

The physiotherapist can help improve the way you move after a stroke. They can assess and treat the way you sit and stand, how you walk, what you can feel and improve your coordination and fitness. A physiotherapist might work with an occupational therapist (OT) to give advice on aids and splints or help with other problems like managing shoulder pain after stroke.

Psychologist

There are different types of psychologists who might work with people after stroke.
A clinical psychologist can help if you or your family is having trouble getting used to life after stroke or if you are depressed or anxious.
A clinical psychologist can also help if the whole family is having trouble getting used to life after stroke. A neuropsychologist might work with a stroke survivor who is having trouble with memory or thinking through problems. A neuropsychologist might work with an OT in doing this.

Social Worker

Social workers can help you to deal with the emotional and social results of a stroke. This might include helping you and your family to get used to changes in lifestyle, relationships, work situation and leisure activities.

This help might be in the form of counselling, support and advice and information on community services. Your social worker can also help you work out what benefits you might be eligible for after your stroke.

Speech Pathologist

A speech pathologist will help you if you have trouble speaking, or understanding what is said to you. The speech pathologist will also help you if you have trouble swallowing.

Last Updated ( Friday, 09 November 2007 )

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