NEON is comprised of Neurosurgery Nurse Educators, Advanced Practice Practitioners, and Clinical Nurse Specialists from each of the 13 neurosurgery centres in Ontario. NEON's priorities include planning and facilitating the implementation of initiatives to increase the knowledge and skills of teams in community hospitals to support equitable and timely access to neurosurgery services. NEON will collaborate and partner with Critical Care Services Ontario (CCSO) on provincial opportunities for neurosurgery system-wide improvement initiatives. Through education and outreach, NEON aims to address gaps in skills and knowledge and improve access and patient flow between neurosurgery and non-neurosurgery centres (NEON Terms of Reference, 2023).
NEON at Toronto Western Hospital provides support to the non-neurosurgical hospitals within the Toronto Central/Central/Central East/North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN. We assist these hospitals with assessing and enhancing the neurosurgical skill set of their interdisciplinary staff, providing expertise in neurosurgical care and assisting with the development of neurosurgical nursing protocols and care practices. NEON at Toronto Western Hospital supports patient repatriations to help maintain the province's neurosurgery capacity.
The nurse representatives for the NEON team at Toronto Western Hospital are:
Karen Nguyen, RN, BScN, MN
Neurosurgery Education and Clinical Outreach Nurse
Toronto Western Hospital, 5FP-183
Phone: 437 235 1478
Email: karen.nguyen2@uhn.ca
NEON Resources
Neurosurgical Guidelines and Education
Related Links
