Maritime SPOR SUPPORT Unit (MSSU Research Project on unnecessarily long hospital stays)

• Appropriate for volunteers aged between 18 and 55
• Appropriate for volunteers aged 55 and over
• Training or orientation required

The Maritime SPOR SUPPORT Unit (MSSU) supports research to improve health across the Maritime Provinces. The MSSU focuses on research priorities of provincial governments and health authorities in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Research teams also draw on MSSU as a resource to support studies that improve health care and inform health policy.   MSSU’s Nova Scotia office is leading a study to understand why some patients stay in the hospital for longer than needed, that is, after hospital-level care is no longer required. The purpose of this is to study learn what prevents people from returning home after being in the hospital. An example of this is a patient who has recovered after receiving acute care, but is unable to return home because they don’t have the support needed to recover safely at home.   We want to include people on our research team who have experienced this issue. This could include someone who has cared for a friend or family member while they waited in the hospital, or someone who has themselves waited to return home. As a Patient Advisor on our team you would help us identify what information should be gathered to address this issue. Patient advisors do not need to have experience working in health care or health research.   More information can be found on the MSSU website: http://www.spor-maritime-srap.ca/patients-and-public   You can also get more information by contacting the MSSU Patient Engagement Coordinator at brian.condran@nshealth.ca or (902) 473-4546.