NRH Spinal Patient Handbook
—(2023)
Illustration Suite
Information Booklets
Illuminating Recovery Through Compassionate Design
Dublin’s National Rehabilitation Hospital challenged me to revitalize their spinal cord patient handbook. This project resonated deeply with me; having grown up listening to my own mother's experiences as a spinal cord injury nurse, I intimately understood the need to humanise medical resources. I embraced the opportunity to transform the hospital's dense, text-heavy guide into a more accessible and empathetic resource for patients navigating their recovery journey.
Dublin’s National Rehabilitation Hospital challenged me to revitalize their spinal cord patient handbook. This project resonated deeply with me; having grown up listening to my own mother's experiences as a spinal cord injury nurse, I intimately understood the need to humanise medical resources. I embraced the opportunity to transform the hospital's dense, text-heavy guide into a more accessible and empathetic resource for patients navigating their recovery journey.
At the time, the existing handbook, though comprehensive, suffered from dense language and an institutional aesthetic that was ill-suited for individuals already overwhelmed by traumatic injuries. The collective goal was to transform these booklets into an approachable, visually engaging guide—one that could support not just patients and their families, but also ease the work of caregivers like my mother.
Collaborating with hospital staff, I developed a suite of friendly,
modern illustrations to accompany reworded content within a binder
format. These illustrations aimed to gently explain and demystify the complexities surrounding spinal cord injuries—from related conditions and treatment pathways to long-term impacts—all through an elevated yet accessible approach.
Ultimately, this reimagined patient resource becomes an illuminating torch, lighting the way through the unknown territory of recovery and bridging the gap between complex medical jargon and personal understanding. In doing so, it provides a compassionate and accessible resource for individuals navigating life-changing injuries.
