SCI Care: What Really Matters

International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS)

A podcast series brought to you by the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS). With each episode, we will speak with experts from all over the world to discuss various aspects of spinal cord injury including etiology, prevention and care, providing valuable insights regarding the most up to date information for those providing care for the spinal cord injured. Collaboration is the key and at the heart of what ISCoS does. The podcast series will be an extension of ISCoS, philosophy to make “Life after a spinal cord injury happy, meaningful and worth living..”

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Top 10 SCI Care: What Really Matters Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best SCI Care: What Really Matters episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to SCI Care: What Really Matters for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite SCI Care: What Really Matters episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

How to Navigate from Childhood to being an Independent Adult in SCI Care

SCI Care: What Really Matters

06/07/22 • 41 min

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'It’s about making sure that the family can see how that's going to fit in with their child for the here and now, but also I'm very much thinking I've got to hand this child on to adult services with two good kidneys. It's about not just the continence, but keeping the kidneys healthy into adulthood.' – Dr Allison Graham

Welcome to our next podcast instalment as we continue to cover the topics that matter within the care of SCI, engaging experts from all over the world.

In this episode host Catharina Cziczkat of Wellspect, Germany is joined by Jens Larsson from Skånes University Hospital SUS, Sweden and Dr Allison Graham of Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, UK, to discuss the challenges of bowel and bladder care in patients navigating from childhood to becoming independent teenagers and adults. What’s the best way to go about this when dealing with sensitive areas such as catheterisation?

To help us, our panel share their knowledge and experience, explaining how we make the transition to adult services workable for families with children in need of bladder and bowel management. What can we do to help teenagers to become independent, removing the responsibility from parents and placing this onto themselves? How do we motivate them? Building relationships and trust with families is key to achieving better quality of life in the short term, as well as working towards improving function and kidney health in the long-term. The ultimate goal is to ensure the transition from child to teenager is as smooth as possible, giving patients the tools and knowledge to empower them whilst avoiding complications.

'It's an embarrassing subject and, It's an area that you don't as a child, or even as a parent want to talk about. But you need to build that confidence with the family and, make them comfortable in talking to you about it as well. That's something I think is important, to give the families and the child as much information as possible.' ~ Jens Larsson

Our panellists wholeheartedly agree that by working closely with the child's family whilst directly involving the child, treating our patients as individuals, and sharing all the available information, the process can be effectively managed, ensuring the transition from child to young adult to an independent adult is successful.

Contact us directly with any questions or comments at [email protected]. You can also join the conversation on social media @ISCoSMeetings and @WellspectHC. And we hope to see many of you in person at the ISCoS 61st Annual Scientific Meeting this September in Vancouver.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice. This show is brought to you by ISCoS - you can follow us on Twitter

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; ISCoS does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies.

You can follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn
The SCI Care: What Really Matters podcast aims to provide valuable insights and the most up-to-date information for those providing care to people with spinal cord injury (SCI) worldwide. The vision of the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) is to "facilitate healthy and inclusive lives for people with spinal cord injury or dysfunction globally".

Bonus Track: Bitesize SCI Care: What really matters, 'Precautions for exiting lockdown' Ep 1

SCI Care: What Really Matters

07/17/20 • 13 min

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Welcome to the first Bitesize track of SCI Care: What really matters.

SCI Care: What really matters is now a weekly fixture for our ISCoS members, audience, and beyond. The aim of this podcast series is to engage with our members and entice non-members to join in on our conversation whilst sharing the insights and experiences of experts from the field of SCI Care from all over the world.

There is so much to cover we have decided to invite a guest from a Special interest Group to discuss further, areas from our main episodes.

For our first bitesize episode we are joined by Shivjeet Raghav of the Consumer Committee of ISCoS to answer the following question, 'Due to the ongoing COVID pandemic, there have been various restrictions during the lockdown in different parts of the globe. What precautions should persons/consumers with spinal cord injury take as their regions exit the lockdown?

This Bitesize episode is to complement our existing episodes 3 and 4 on 'Exiting the Lockdown.'

Thank you for listening, please do subscribe to SCI Care: What really matters, podcast series on the podcast platform of your choice.

Click here to register for the 59th ISCoS conference and this year it is fully virtual. You can access the preliminary programme here

Email [email protected] for any questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

Links to Covid-19 documents and visit here for Covid-19 Resources on the ISCoS website

This show is brought to you by ISCoS, you can follow us on Twitter @iscosmeetings, hosted by Dr Harvinder Chhabra produced and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub @heathershub

--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/scicare/message

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; ISCoS does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies.

What role does the nurse have for successful bladder and bowel management?

SCI Care: What Really Matters

05/30/24 • 30 min

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Managing bladder and bowel health is a critical, yet often overlooked aspect of patient care, especially for those with spinal cord injuries (SCI).
In a recent podcast episode host, Tracey Tattam, a Nurse Educator at the Spinal Injuries Unit Queensland, Australia is joined by Josefin Oja, a nurse and urotherapist at the spinal cord injury department Umeå, Sweden and Maria Moschovou, a specialist rehabilitation nurse at the Linköping University Hospital Rehabilitation department. They discuss and explore factors important for being compliant with the therapy and long-term compliance, the possible barriers that arise, how to overcome these, and the importance of a healthy bladder and bowel.

The initial phase of rehabilitation for newly injured SCI patients can be overwhelming. The sudden influx of information, coupled with the intimate nature of bladder and bowel care, often leaves patients feeling vulnerable. Josefin emphasises the need for educational materials that are not only concise but personalised to the individual's needs. A key factor in successful management is establishing a routine that is as close to the patient's pre-injury habits as possible, adapting techniques to their unique situations.
Long-term challenges also persist. As Maria notes, methods that were effective during initial rehabilitation may not suffice as time moves on. Patients often return, desperate for solutions to new or evolving issues. This highlights the need for continuous support and follow-up, ensuring that care plans adapt over time. A notable aspect of long-term management is addressing the cultural sensitivities of caring for patients from diverse backgrounds. This requires not only a deep understanding of different cultures but also strategies to introduce and discuss intimate care products in a respectful and effective manner.
Both experts stress the importance of education – for patients and healthcare professionals alike. Using smart, simple solutions over complicated or invasive procedures can prove to be more effective.
Our panel agreed that the management of bladder and bowel health for SCI patients is complex. Healthcare professionals can empower patients to lead healthier, more independent lives through education, patience, and continuous improvement of care plans.
We hope you enjoy listening.

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; ISCoS does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies.

Conquering Adversity: Claire Lomas’ MBE Story of Resilience

SCI Care: What Really Matters

10/09/23 • 29 min

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In this episode, Dr Ali Jamous talks to Claire Lomas MBE taking us through Claire's remarkable journey from a devastating accident to finding a new purpose in life.
Claire shares her experiences from before her accident and the difficult early years of recovering from her injury and when hope seemed lost. She will discuss the little steps that made the biggest impact on her rehabilitation, and it was all of the little steps that she has reach the triumphant goals of today from flying a microlight, riding a motorbike, and completing a number of marathons fundraising in excess of £850,000.
Offering invaluable advice Claire emphasises the importance of accepting help and taking small steps toward achieving big goals. Claire's story will inspire you and offer hope to all our listeners.
We hope you enjoy this episode.

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; ISCoS does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies.

Advancements in Spinal Cord Injury Research with Nigel Henderson

SCI Care: What Really Matters

07/22/23 • 39 min

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In this enlightening discussion, host Dr Ram Hariharan, a consultant at the Princess Royal Spinal Cord Surgery Centre in Sheffield and Chair of the UK Spinal Cord Surgery Research Network, speaks with Mr Nigel Henderson, a former consultant at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and later the clinical director of the National Spinal Injury Centre. He was appointed Clinical Director of the NSIC for 5 years before his retirement from the NHS in 2018. This gave him the opportunity for closer involvement in developing spinal cord injury services locally and nationally. He served as a member, then chair, of the Spinal Cord Injury Committee of the NHS England Spinal Services Group concerned with service organisation, specification and commissioning.

He maintains his involvement with spinal cord injury as a Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research (SMSR) Trustee, and the SMSR's work is discussed in this episode.

Mr Henderson explains the grant application process, providing valuable insights and guidance on securing funding for impactful research projects and that The SMSR prioritises funding research projects with the potential to improve the lives of those with spinal cord injuries. There is also great importance placed on reaching out to international researchers whilst investing in UK research. The Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research charity has evolved to focus on fundamental research topics impacting SCI patients’ quality of life: neuropathic pain management, UTI prevention, assistive technology and pressure ulcers.

We hope you enjoy listening.

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; ISCoS does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies.

What I learned from my spinal cord injury – notes from a surgeon

SCI Care: What Really Matters

04/20/23 • 44 min

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In this inspirational episode, we have the privilege of hearing the unique patient perspective of a surgeon who operated on SCI patients prior to his own spinal injury. Mr Mohammed Belal is a consultant urologist who has treated many SCI patients during his medical career. In 2021 he had a cycling accident and sustained a spinal cord injury which saw him undergo many months of rehabilitation and treatment. He has recently returned to work as a surgeon. Here, he speaks with Dr Jane Duff, a consultant clinical psychologist at the National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, and ISCoS President-Elect, Dr Ali Jamous about his journey.
A positive mental outlook has been fundamental to Mr Belal’s ongoing recovery and rehabilitation, which he categorises into three key strands: the physical, mental and spiritual. Goal setting and managing expectations have also been important, recognising that rehabilitation is an ongoing process and that new challenges will arise along the way. His experience as a surgeon has clearly helped with this in terms of his in-depth knowledge of SCI care, but also in his disciplined and driven approach to recovery. He explains that one can maintain a positive mindset by seeing challenges as problems to be solved rather than insurmountable obstacles.
“That's the beauty of about life. It's the challenges that really keep you going.”
Mr Belal also shares his honest views on the challenges of accessing community care and rehabilitation services after discharge, and the frustrations around this. He explains how clinicians can help by giving patients a sense of purpose with clear goals for rehabilitation. His own approach as a surgeon has certainly changed when it comes to understanding the profound changes and uncertainty his patients are dealing with.
“It's certainly made me a better doctor”.
This episode is a must for both SCI clinicians and patients as Mr Belal shares his vital insights and take-away messages from both sides of the experience. In particular, he highlights the importance of communication and empathy; managing acceptance and uncertainty with a positive outlook; and, crucially, holding on to gratitude and hope.

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; ISCoS does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies.

Challenges in the comprehensive management of persons with SCI

SCI Care: What Really Matters

07/20/20 • 43 min

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Dr Nazirah Hasnan and Stephen Muldoon, representatives of Asian Spinal Cord Network (ASCoN) and Dr Rami Al Ahmar, representative of Middle East North Africa Spinal Cord Injury (MENASCI) network join Dr Chhabra for part one of discussing challenges in the comprehensive management of persons with SCI with a specific focus on Asia Spinal Cord Network (ASCON) and middle East North Africa Spinal Cord Injury (MENASCI) network regions. Part two will have a specific focus on Latin America and Africa as Dr Chhabra talks with Dr Federico Montero, representative of Latin American Society of Paraplegia (SLAP), Ms. Elma Burger, representative of Africa Spinal Cord Network (AFSCIN).

In this Episode:

2:51 Q1. Describe the challenges in comprehensive SCI management in ASCoN/MENA region

2:56 Dr Nazirah Hasnan

10:54 Mr Stephen Muldoon

16:55 Dr Rami Al Ahmar

21:43 Q2. What are the various factors which contribute to the challenge of comprehensive management of persons with SCI and their inclusion within the community in your region

21:47 Dr Rami Al Ahmar

24:02 Mr Stephen Muldoon

28:15 Dr Nazirah Hasnan

29:32 Q3. What are the various factors which can help in overcoming the challenges of comprehensive SCI management in LMIC?

29:37 Mr Stephen Muldoon

33:20 Dr Nazirah Hasnan

36:50 Dr Rami Al Ahmar

Thank you for listening, please do subscribe to SCI Care: What really matters, podcast series on the podcast platform of your choice.

Click here to register for the 59th ISCoS conference and this year it is fully virtual. You can access the preliminary programme here

Email [email protected] for any questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

ASCoN links: https://ascon.info/

MENASCI Links: https://www.iscos.org.uk/spotlight-on-rami-al-ahmar or https://www.facebook.com/Middle-East-North-Africa-Spinal-Cord-Injury-Network-MENASCI-100554547970759/

ISCoS website https://www.iscos.org.uk/

This show is brought to you by ISCoS, you can follow us on Twitter @iscosmeetings, hosted by Dr Harvinder Chhabra produced and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub @heathershub--- Send in a voice message: https://anch

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; ISCoS does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies.

What makes Intermittent Catheterisation Safe? Reducing the Risk of Complications for Long-Term Use.

SCI Care: What Really Matters

03/09/23 • 37 min

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In this episode of ‘SCI Care: What really Matters’ we talk about how to reduce the risks associated with long-term intermittent catheterisation. Our host is John Thomson, clinical education manager for Wellspect, UK. John has worked in the medical device industry for over 20 years, having formerly been a nurse, and has worked in the field of intermittent catheterisation for approximately seven to eight years. He is joined by Diane Newman, a urology nurse practitioner from the US whose current practice involves the evaluation, treatment and management of bladder disorders, including the avoidance of dysfunction and related problems involved with the use of catheters and other devices. Our second guest is Veronika Geng, the head of an advisory centre for nutrition and digestion for spinal cord injured people in Lobbach, Germany.

What are the practical tools and techniques for catheterisation and the design properties of different catheters which can reduce complications for long-term users? Our guests share their expert insight in this area. We also consider the pros and cons of sharing this information with patients and the importance of giving them informed choice when it comes to this very personal area of care.

We discuss best practice for healthcare practitioners in ensuring that long-term users of intermittent catheters are performing the procedure safely, including the importance of the teaching, learning and dissemination of best practice guidelines for clinicians at all levels who might be involved in this kind of patient care. A vital part of this is remembering that each patient is unique and will be at a different stage of both their mental and physical recovery. Practitioners must keep this in mind when explaining the benefits of intermittent catheterisation over indwelling catheter use and work together with patients to make the process work for them.

Our patients are at the heart of everything we do, and SCI patients are part of a unique cohort who are dealing with a life-changing, but not necessarily a life-limiting, prognosis. Helping them come to terms with all aspects of their ongoing care and the practicalities of day-to-day life is one of the most challenging but rewarding parts of our work in SCI care. By supporting our patients in having the best possible health and care outcomes we can play our part in giving them long-lasting quality of life.

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; ISCoS does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies.

The History of the Sports Wheelchair with PhD Student Sam Brady

SCI Care: What Really Matters

08/05/21 • 34 min

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Welcome to SCI Care: What Really Matters Series 2 and our very first episode of this series. As we celebrate 60 years of the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) we will reflect on where we came from, where we are and what the future may hold for SCI Care. We invite you to join us for our 60th Anniversary Annual Scientific Meeting this September.

And what better way to start our reflections than discuss the history of the sports wheelchair. In this fascinating episode, Prof Ruth Marshall is joined by Sam Brady, a PhD research student from the University of Glasgow.

In collaboration with the National Paralympic Heritage Trust, Sam’s thesis investigates the social, political and technical history of the sports wheelchair. He has also started new series of blog posts, covering anything from reflections on his research findings, funny stories from archive materials, or interesting facts about the history of sports wheelchairs. You can read the blogs here

Here is what our President and Podcast Host Prof Ruth Marshall has to say on this episode and the upcoming series:

‘As well, as a way of giving you an insight into some of our keynote speakers and other activities, we have relaunched our very successful foray into the world of podcasts: SCI Care: What really matters.

As the president of ISCoS, I am the host of several of these and having lots of fun working out questions to ask the speakers I am interviewing. The first podcast was an interview with a PhD student, Sam Brady, talking about his research into the history of sports wheelchairs – timely given the approaching Paralympics.

If you haven’t had a listen, do remember to subscribe with your podcast provider – it will be there when you look. (I know because I checked). My diary is being filled with bookings for interviews but, if there is someone you really want to hear or if you have questions, please contact the ISCoS office – [email protected]’

The opinions of our host and guests are their own. Thank you for listening.

If you have any questions or suggestions for future episodes or would like information on becoming an ISCoS member please email [email protected] if you would like to register for our annual scientific meeting click here

This show is brought to you by ISCoS, you can follow us on Twitter @iscosmeetings, hosted by Prof Ruth Marshall produced and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub @heathershub--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/scicare/message

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; ISCoS does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies.

VR and Rehabilitation: Dr Ram Hariharan and Dr Abayomi Salawu explore the future of patient care

SCI Care: What Really Matters

07/25/23 • 10 min

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Dr Abayomi Salawu is a neuro-rehabilitation consultant at Hull University Teaching Hospital NHS Trust who is pioneering the use of virtual reality (VR) in rehabilitation. Dr Ram Hariharan is a consultant in spinal injuries at the Princess Royal Spinal Injuries and Rehabilitation Centre in Sheffield and the chair of the UK SCI Research Network.

Dr Hariharan and Dr Salawu got together at the recent BSPRM BASCIS Joint Annual Scientific Conference in Sheffield to discuss the remarkable ways in which VR is transforming patient care, particularly for those recovering from traumatic brain injuries and stroke. Dr Salawu's innovative approach creates a virtual environment where patients can safely practice rehabilitation exercises, aiding their recovery and fostering self-reliance. And VR is impacting the rehabilitation landscape beyond physical recovery. We hear how this technology can train patients in other important aspects of self-care, such as bladder and bowel management. Dr Salawu also explains the emerging use of VR in delivering specialised psychological therapies, such as eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) for managing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.

The insights from this conversation illuminate the transformative power of VR in rehabilitation and its potential to revolutionise patient care.

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; ISCoS does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies.

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FAQ

How many episodes does SCI Care: What Really Matters have?

SCI Care: What Really Matters currently has 77 episodes available.

What topics does SCI Care: What Really Matters cover?

The podcast is about Health & Fitness, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Medicine and Podcasts.

What is the most popular episode on SCI Care: What Really Matters?

The episode title '2nd ISCoS International Regional Symposium : Sharing world knowledge for practical advancements' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on SCI Care: What Really Matters?

The average episode length on SCI Care: What Really Matters is 25 minutes.

How often are episodes of SCI Care: What Really Matters released?

Episodes of SCI Care: What Really Matters are typically released every 4 days.

When was the first episode of SCI Care: What Really Matters?

The first episode of SCI Care: What Really Matters was released on Jun 23, 2020.

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SCI Care: What Really Matters

International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS)

Top 10 SCI Care: What Really Matters Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does SCI Care: What Really Matters have?

What topics does SCI Care: What Really Matters cover?

What is the most popular episode on SCI Care: What Really Matters?

What is the average episode length on SCI Care: What Really Matters?

How often are episodes of SCI Care: What Really Matters released?

When was the first episode of SCI Care: What Really Matters?

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