Clinical Nurse Consultant Tracy has overcome massive odds after a horrific accident and is now recovering well.
For Tracy Nowicki the road to recovery has been a long one.
After surviving a life-threatening road accident earlier this year, the Clinical Nurse Consultant has become an even stauncher advocate for patient-centred care.
Tracy, who works at The Prince Charles Hospital and is a statewide leader in bariatric care, falls prevention and pressure injury prevention, spent nine weeks in hospital, including one full week in intensive care after a severe cycling accident that could have ended her life or left her with severe disability.
After the accident, which she remembers little of, Tracy’s body was shattered.
“I had multiple fractures and serious injuries all over my body including a severed pelvis, cracked rib, broken collar bone, fractured neck and skull,” she said.
Tracy also had major lacerations across her body, severe ear and eye damage, and experienced serious trauma to parts of her brain.
“Throughout my hospitalisation I lost 12 percent of my body weight and fell to 50 kilograms,” she said.
Following her hospitalisation, Tracy was transitioned to the Surgical, Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS) for six weeks, spending three hours in the gym and in rehabilitation each day.
“I also spent four weeks receiving rehabilitation care and allied health support at home as part of the Community Based Rehabilitation Team (CBRT) service,” she said.
In the months following the accident, Tracy has not only survived, but has rebounded from her life-threatening injuries and now is well on the road to recovery – not a surprise to those who know the stalwart health professional.
Tracy’s perseverance, determination and sheer willpower, accompanied by the support of a few key health professionals and family members along the way, have been the keys to her remarkable recuperation.
“The CBRT team in particular were really respectful, organised and caring – they were like little angels,” she said. “I felt very safe with them, the speech pathologist Danielle and occupational herapist Belinda. They were amazing.”
Tracy said the CBRT team made her feel more connected, listened to and involved in the planning of her care.
“I really looked forward to seeing them. I can’t believe how much better and more positive I felt after their treatment,” she said.
Tracy’s experience has given her the opportunity to think about what patient-centred care really means.
“It’s different when you’re on the receiving end of care, rather than giving it,” Tracy said. “We must ask ourselves what the individual needs to get their life back?”
“What does this patient require different to other patients? It is important to set individual goals together with the patient and allow them to be part of clinical decision making and care planning.”