“Science is absolutely vital to our role.” The thoughts of Respiratory Clinical Lead Nurse, Kevin O’Brien as the spotlight shines on the Ulster Hospital’s respiratory, cardiology and sleep physiology units during Healthcare in Science Week.
Scientific and technological advancements are at the heart of all medical departments. Kevin explained how, “Respiratory Physiologists are at the centre and core of the Respiratory Department. They are using their skills and expertise to provide us with so much information that helps us translate symptoms into a diagnosis for the patient.”
Ulster Hospital Senior Chief Cardiac Physiologist David Moorhead detailed how the team help to diagnose 80 per cent of all cardiac conditions. “We have Respiratory Physiologists, Cardiac Physiologists and Neurophysiologists, Audiologists and we all perform diagnostic tests. We perform about 80 per cent of diagnostic tests for most patients that come through the hospital doors.
“We have a very good interaction with our patients. We are one on one with them all the time,” said David.
“Everything we do in the department is about science,” added Respiratory and Sleep Physiologist Coral Trainor. “The team would analyse the sleep reports which are showing people’s oxygen saturation (SpO2) and their heart rate. In patients with ‘sleep apnea’ which is a common condition that occurs when your breathing stops and restarts many times while you sleep, we are able to see that through the testing that we carry out.”
Coral continued, “We have a Pulmonary Function Lab which is respiratory and sleep lab which carries out CPAP reviews (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) and CPAP setups. We would download sleep monitors, both oximeters and limited polys, to measure the quantity of oxygen and then we would be delivering the results from that to the patients.”
Coral spoke passionately as how the best part of her role, “Is seeing the difference it makes in our patients, especially when it comes to sleep and seeing how those patients gain more energy and how sleep is helping their relationships.”
With many post-16 young people preparing for their exams, and with many considering medical routes, Coral said to, “go for it.” “My role is so interesting, everything is changing day-to-day and there is so much progression, so much in the way of new sleep studies. It’s a really good time now to get be getting into this field.”
