Meet NRI’s Program Director Pamela Washbourne, MS CCC-SLP

How long have you been working for NRI?

I’ve been working at NRI for three years now.

Why did you choose to work with people who have brain injuries?

I started off working with as a speech pathologist with children. I then came into contact with more and more patients who had brain injuries and really felt a connection with them. Over time, I learned that I fit really well with adult brain injury patients and that I could understand their situations and help them get their lives back on track.

What are some of the challenges that you face in helping someone with a severe brain injury?

When someone suffers a brain injury, they often develop behaviors—the kind of behaviors that makes them difficult to treat in a regular hospital or traditional rehab setting. That’s why it’s so important for people with brain injuries to find a specialized rehabilitation facility that specifically treats brain injuries, because they require a certain type of attention that isn’t available at most places.

I remember one incident where we had a patient who was suffering from extreme agitation—he literally ripped the toilet from the floorboard. Well, we put him on close observation and we quickly realized that he was hypersensitive to noise and other stimulation. In response, we created an extremely calm and quiet environment for him, and introducing stimuli very slowly. Within two months time, he had learned a remarkable degree of impulse control. I recently learned that now, two years after he discharged, he still has not had a single incident of violence or aggression.

As a director, how much involvement do you have with patients?

I’m very much a “hands on” type of person, so I maintain continuous contact with our patients. I do much of the daily care activities with individual patients, like feeding and exercise. All of our staff on NRI are very involved with the patients, and we also keep in steady communication with their families as well.

In your opinion, what is the most unique aspect of NRI’s program?

One of the greatest things about NRI is that we try to give our patients the most normal lifestyle we can give them in a hospital setting. Our patients go on outings every day—to the store, to the park, swimming, baseball games, concerts. Their social lives are an important part of their recovery, and I think it does wonders for them in their treatment.

What is one of your most memorable success stories?

We had a 43 year old male patient come into rehab with a pretty severe brain injury. He had suffered a grand mal seizure which put him into a coma, and we received him about a year post injury. He was in a wheelchair when he arrived, and he was wearing a helmet because he was a fall risk. He couldn’t feed himself or really care for himself at all. We placed him on an intensive course of therapy, muscle strengthening, and cognititive therapy. We spent a lot of time steadying his gate, and before we knew it, he was using a stroller! Soon he was able to feed himself, and his speech problems were greatly improved. When he left three months later, he was on his feet, without a helmet. He was definitely a happier, healthier person who was thrilled to get on with his life.