Clinical Surgical Research
See full list of projectsProjects would suit a motivated individual interested in making a difference at a clinical level. The successful applicant would have a unique opportunity to be involved in a dynamic surgical setting with a gentle introduction into the World of Surgery and the importance of process and governance in clinical practice. The student would perform a comprehensive literature review, collect and analyse data and prepare and submit a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal.
The Effect of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) programme on the Management of Emergency Surgical Patients
Supervisors: Ms Karen Barclay
Project Site: The Northern Hospital, Epping
Contact: Ms Karen Barclay E: karen.barclay@nh.org.au
Project description: Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) programmes aim to optimise peri-operative care and decrease the physiologic stress response to surgery. Benefit in terms of decreased complications and reduced cost and length of stay have been shown. At our hospital, the programme is in place for elective patients however the same medical and nursing staff care for both emergency and elective patients on the same wards. The aim of this retrospective audit is to see if the introduction of an ERAS programme has had a flow-on beneficial effect on the management of emergency patients.
Documentation of Pre-Operative Decision-making in Surgery
Supervisors: Ms Karen Barclay
Project Site: The Northern Hospital, Epping
Contact: Ms Karen Barclay, karen.barclay@nh.org.au
Project Description: Documentation is critical in clinical practice. Observation has shown when emergency decisions are made, the documentation of decisions to operate may be sub-optimal. This has consequences for subsequent assessment and also potentially raises medico-legal consequences. The aim of the study is to assess the flow of documentation around operative decision-making in an emergency setting, identify factors which may contribute and suggest possible ways for improvement.
The Use of Computerised Tomography for the Assessment of Emergency Surgical Patients
Supervisors: Ms Karen Barclay
Project Site: The Northern Hospital, Epping
Contact: Ms Karen Barclay karen.barclay@nh.org.au
Project Description: The widespread availability of Computed Tomography (CT) and a change in clinical thinking results in large numbers of procedures being performed. At times, scans are requested by junior colleagues without discussion with a more senior individual. This may lead to the incorrect procedure being performed and a repeat procedure being required. There is a cost to this in terms of resource utilization, radiation exposure and time to diagnosis. In addition, the use of intravenous contrast in acutely unwell patients may worsen impaired renal function or prolong time for renal recovery. The current study looks at practice for requesting CT scans on emergency patients. The aim is to evaluate current practice, assess if there are areas of inefficiency and suggest ways in which practice could be optimised.
A Scoring System for the Assessment of Process in Rectal Cancer Management
Supervisors: Ms Karen Barclay
Project Site: The Northern Hospital, Epping
Contact: Ms Karen Barclay karen.barclay@nh.org.au
Project Description: Standards of care are critical in any type of oncologic surgery. In the management of rectal cancer, key processes in the pathway of care have been shown to lead to improved outcome. Although audit processes are in place in most centres of repute, it is difficult to demonstrate due process simply and quickly. The current study looks at an original scoring system for assessing key areas of practice. The aim is to show the scoring system is easy, reproducible and a simple way of showing practice standard is adequate or highlighting areas for improvement.