Being connected to an electro cardio-gram machine

I should state that I have no current heart conditions so the act of being connected to the electro cardio-gram (ecg) machine in this video is purely to gain a rough physical perspective of what a patient with an actual condition goes through.  Therefore I do not at this stage understand or could fathom the emotional feelings of a patient going through a similar process with a heart related condition.  This I can try to understand from current and ex-patients though interview techniques.

This video should also relay to the viewer the time and effort it requires to connect a patient to an ecg machine.

The machine presented in this video is not the usual standard to be used on a day to day basis as it is part of a study investigating the effects of reflexology, so it will be necessary to repeat this process.

Also you will notice 'chilled out' music in the background which was to provide ambience to the study I was a part of.

I aim to interview those who operate these machines on a daily business and patients who benefit from the results the machine produces.

Day Case Unit

When visiting the ecg department I also visited the day case unit, where patients are given a chance to recouperate after an operation.  Here they are given information on their operation in the form of handouts and booklets.  It is this method of providing information that concerned the day case unit manager when I asked about any other particular problems (apart from the ecg cables tangling during operations) that might affect patients.

She described that the majority of patients who are worried or concerned about their operation/condition are not going to sit and read through an intimidating number of booklets.  Which can then lead to that patient becoming more stressed because they do not fully understand what is happening or what has happened.

There is a card that patients are given in order to access information.  The idea behind the card which is postcard sized (roughly A5) is that the patient can find out information on their own terms, at their own pace, in the comfort of their own home.  The problem with this card, is it's physical size, it is perhaps too big.  After a small discussion it was determined that a credit card sized variation would make a good alternative.  The only trouble is fitting all the necessary information onto the smaller card, and designing the layout/information so it appears useful, helpful and informative to the patient.

On the card is a helpline in order to call for information if required.  Information is the keyword.  During my interview with and ex-patient she mentioned that a lot of the information she was provided with was through discussion with her doctors, surgeons and nurses.  Her exact words will be written up soon, but it was clear from my discussion with her that communication through good service enabled her to understand what was happening, and through that understanding she gained a strong confidence in her physicians.

This area of research is more suited to information, service and graphic design but it is still interesting to build a complete picture of the overall patient experience.   The main focus at the moment is still upon the issue of tangled ecg cables.

Below are pictures of the information available at the day case unit.

It's quite a lot to take in, and I imagine quite intimidating if the patient is stressed or worried.  On the back of the booklet is a helpline which could be useful if the patient is not already put off.  Below is an example of some of the other information handed to post-op patients in the form of A4 printouts.

Ninewells hospital ecg department

I have just arranged to visit Ninewells hospital ecg department in the new year.  This will provide a different perspective from the hospital I am currently looking at.  An interesting idea would be to visit a number of hospitals across the UK in order to gain a broad overview of the situation, ranging from public to private hospitals.

UPDATE:  I had an extra day or two free in the following weeks and phoned the Ninewells ecg department to see if I could arrange an earlier visit this month.  Unfortunately the department is a little understaffed right now but I am assured that there should be somebody available to guide me around in the new year.

Ninewells Library

Good news is that I am allowed access to the library at Ninewells hospital, however I will be unable to access computers or borrow books until I have re-matriculated.

Reflexology session and ex-patient interview

Just a quick note today.  This morning I had my first reflexology session whilst hooked up to a machine.  I was able to take a video of myself being hooked up to the ecg machine, so I will be posting this soon.  I also have the follow up session this friday.

In the afternoon I interviewed an ex-patient who recently underwent  a Minimally Invasive Mitravalve Repair Procedure.  She was originally diagnosed with her heart condition five years ago, so she has had a lot of experience over the past few years with tests involving ecg machines.  We talked about a variety of variables and drew some sketches to get an idea for improving the condition of the wires belonging to the ecg machine.  I will be posting the interview soon in video or transcript format, with highlights of the conversation, very soon.

Endoscopy department

I have been in contact with an endoscopy department and will be discussing with their endoscopy/day surgery manager how I can begin my research into this department, how much access I can achieve etc.

I will have an update for this on or after the 26th October as the day surgery manager is currently on holiday.

Participation in Reflexology Study

I have been asked to participate in a study into the possible effects of reflexology on a patient admitted to the cardio respiratory department of a hospital.  As a participant I will be hooked up to an ECG machine, giving me invaluable first hand experience of what it is like to be connected to one of these machines.

Reflexology is a complimentary treatment where a therapist will apply pressure to my feet.  The ECG machine will measure any and all physiological responses during the treatment.

This is phase one of a much larger investigation and it will be interesting to find out what these initial results yield.

I am told that a large number of doctors have dismissed reflexology with little to no scientific evidence.  Even if through this study reflexology is scientifically proven not to have any actual effect upon the condition of the patient, the possible placebo effect that could be derived from this study could prove invaluable to the condition of the patient.

A large number of people have described the reflexology treatment as a very relaxing experience.  That experience alone could prove very useful during the treatment of a patient.  It could among other things relax feelings of anxiety during what could be a particularly troubling time for a patient. 

This will be happening in the following week.