Delivering Specialised Care for Spine Patients Together

The moment a patient wakes up in the ward after spine surgery, the real journey to recovery begins. Here in the post-operative recovery phase, Principal Physiotherapist Samantha Foo and Senior Staff Nurse Koh Ree Yi work hand in hand to guide and support patients in taking those first steps towards recovery.

Before the surgery, Ree Yi, who is part of the specialty nursing team focusing on spine services, counsels patients to prepare them for what to expect after their surgery, laying the groundwork for what Samantha will do afterwards.

Inspired by her mother who is also a nurse, the senior staff nurse joined CGH as an operating theatre nurse in 2009, focusing on spine procedures, and returned to join the specialty nursing team in 2021 after a stint at another hospital.

For some, the idea of standing or walking just hours after a major procedure is surprising. “Some patients will ask, ‘You mean I’m not going to rest?’” she says with a smile.

Samantha adds, “When I first started working as a physiotherapist, the instructions used to be ‘rest in bed on the day of surgery and sometimes even for a few days.’ Now, many patients are up and moving on the same day itself.”

The physiotherapist who has spent nearly 12 years at the Caring General Hospital steps in after the patient’s surgery, and builds on this foundation, focusing on getting patients to move safely soon after surgery, and providing them with the support that they need in order to do so, be it in the form of physical assistance, use of aids, encouragement or tailored advice.

The shift towards early mobilisation after spine surgery has transformed recovery but requires careful preparation. Constant communication is key, to ensure that care is personalised to each patient’s condition. For example, Samantha shares on patients’ physical therapy progress and their pain levels, so pain medication can be optimised to make subsequent sessions smoother. If Ree Yi learns that a patient has a pet at home, she highlights mobility routines and precautions to take when bending to care for pets.

The details flow naturally – small insights that can make a big difference in making therapy more tailored and effective for patients to take their first steps after surgery.

"Patients are often surprised and excited, even asking us to take photos to share with their families,” says Samantha.

This collaborative approach is reflective of CGH’s culture of openness and mutual support. “I can definitely see the change over the years," Ree Yi observes. "It's very much a multi-disciplinary collaboration, where we all work together to make sure the patient receives the care they need."

“CGH's culture is very nurturing, where a lot of time and effort goes into teaching and guiding younger colleagues, and support for one another, even across different disciplines, is evident,” adds Samantha.

Ultimately patient care benefits, and this is what motivates Samantha and Ree Yi.

Samantha shares more about her role as a Principal Physiotherapist at the Caring General Hospital here.

Read more about Ree Yi's journey as a Senior Staff Nurse at CGH here.