Inpatient Rehabilitation Team

• Once a referral is received from your doctor, surgeon or nurse at the acute hospital, one of our experienced registered nurses will visit you.
• These nurses will assess your ability to participate in our fast stream rehabilitation program.
• You have the right to choose which rehabilitation facility you attend. If you are not sure if a referral has been made on your behalf, please do not hesitate to contact us.

• Your daily care is coordinated by nursing staff. They deliver specific nursing care vital for your recovery 24 hours per day, and will assist you to achieve your optimal level of independence before discharge.
• We also have specialist nursing staff:
  • Stomal Therapist - we welcome patients who have undergone surgery requiring the formation of a stoma. A stomal therapist will provide education and specialised nursing care for you.
  • Cardiac and Pulmonary Nurses - are nurses with post graduate cardiac qualifications and experience. They provide specialised nursing care and education to both our inpatients and day rehabilitation patients.
  • Diabetes Educator - we are able to access the services of a Diabetes Educator if required.

• The physiotherapists will assist you in improving your balance, strength, movement, flexibility, endurance, mobility and reviewing any mobility equipment if required. The physiotherapists will design a home exercise program for you to continue with when you are at home.
• Physiotherapists use many techniques including exercise prescription to maximise your potential and aim to return you to functioning at as close to your pre-existing physical level as possible.
• The Allied Health Assistants (AHAs) work closely with the physiotherapists and supervise and assist with individual and group therapy sessions, including in the hydrotherapy pool.

• Our occupational therapists support you to participate in everyday activities and create an individual program to enable you to safely return to your previous lifestyle.  Everyday activities, or “occupations”, can include things such as taking care of yourself or others, domestic tasks, community activities, working, driving, and participating in hobbies or social events. 
• Our occupational therapists focus on what occupations are important to you, any current issues you may have in doing them, and then work with you to ensure you can participate in these. 
• Your program may consist of individual or group sessions and could include education or practical skills.
• A home assessment may be carried out to maximise independence and to consider equipment and services to ensure your safe return home.

• The primary focus of our exercise physiologists is to prescribe exercise to prevent, manage and treat medical conditions.  The aim is to assist you to manage your health independently through the utilisation of exercise prescription and education on lifestyle and behaviour change.

• Our speech pathologists assess, diagnose and treat disorders of swallowing and communication.  This includes speech, language, reading, writing, fluency, voice and changes to thinking and memory – all of which affect communication.
• They will work closely with you and your family to set goals that match your needs.
• Treatment may include education, strategies and exercises to help manage any identified difficulties you may have.

• We have a very experienced clinical pharmacist on site who will review all the medications prescribed to you on admission and provide you with any specialised education needed.

• Psychologists working in a health setting specialise in helping you to understand the interaction between physical, psychological and behavioural factors which can impact on your health, illness and recovery.
• Psychologists teach skills and strategies to aid in mood management.  They can also assist with pain management.  This includes goal-setting, building self-confidence and self-esteem, as well as helping you to learn effective stress management techniques to promote well-being.
• Through supportive counselling and empathic reflection, psychologists are often able to assist in dealing with grief and loss issues that can arise following illness or injury.

• Social workers are available to all patients and their family during their hospital stay.
• Social workers work closely with you and your family to ensure that any queries regarding your hospital stay and safe discharge are addressed.
• Social workers can provide you with support and information, as well as facilitate access to community resources, government services and systems.

• We are able to access the services of a podiatrist if required.

• Our dietitian can help you to understand the relationship between food and health by assessing your nutrition needs and providing individualised nutrition advice, taking into consideration medical conditions and personal circumstances.   
• Our dietitian can help treat a wide range of conditions including malnutrition/deconditioning, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and other neurological conditions, cancers, gastrointestinal diseases, wound management, food allergies/intolerances, kidney disease, and weight management.

Our clinical staff are well supported by an energetic and professional team of porters and environmental services staff.

• Porters - Our portering team will bring you to and from each of your therapy sessions.  They may initially do this using a wheelchair if you are not able to walk the distances to and from each of your sessions.  As you recover, they will walk with you until you are able to do so independently.
• Environmental Services - Our friendly environmental services team ensures that your room and ensuite are cleaned daily.  We pride ourselves on ensuring that our facilities are clean and welcoming for your arrival and the duration of your stay.

• You will find our Front Reception staff the ‘font of knowledge’ for all things Donvale. They are available from 7:30am until 8:00pm. Please feel free to contact us during these times for any queries.

• All food is prepared and cooked on site by our chefs ensuring freshness and quality. We use a state of the art software program to take your daily menu orders that ensure any dietary requirements are catered for. 
• Diet Monitors - Each morning one of our Diet Monitors will visit you to take your meal order for the next 24 hours. You will have the opportunity to discuss meal choices with them and to place an order for a meal for a family member at a small additional cost.