People of SCGOPHCG - Judy Lee

Judy Lee is an Epilepsy Clinical Nurse who has worked with the Epileptologists from the WA Adult Epilepsy Service for the past 16 years. In 2016 the Service was transferred from Royal Perth Hospital, where Judy had been based for ten years, to the Neurology Department at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. The Service’s move to SCGH was undertaken to centralise clinical expertise and resources, as part of the State Centre for Neurosciences based at the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre.

In 2019, Judy developed the Nursing Standards of Practice for Video-EEG Monitoring. Alongside this, she continues to provide regular education for nurses in the Neurology Ward in caring for patients admitted for video-EEG monitoring, including pre-surgical evaluation of epilepsy patients.

Judy has undertaken a new project over the last year, publishing a booklet called “Anti-seizure Medications in Australia – a Prescriber’s Identification Guide”. Developed with the support and sponsorship of a drug company, the booklet is being distributed Australia-wide to Australian Medical Practitioners and Epilepsy Nurses.

The booklet was designed as a guide to help Australian Neurologists/Medical Practitioners and Epilepsy Nurses assist epilepsy patients to identify the dose of their anti-seizure medications when seen in the clinics. The guide contains pictures of the boxes or bottles of anti-seizure medications along with the actual size, shape and colour of tablets and capsules, or bottles of liquids, providing a reference for patients who sometimes have trouble identifying their current medications during appointments.

Judy actively supports the Epileptologists in their research, collecting data and managing databases in Epilepsy. She is often involved in attending Neurosurgery theatre for implantation or replacement of vagal nerve stimulators (VNS) and runs the VNS Clinics, helping to interrogate and program the VNS generators.

In March this year, Judy was one of three Australian Epilepsy Nurses selected to represent Australia in the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) Nursing Section. This Nursing Section aims to develop educational curriculum which can be adapted and used by nurses worldwide in caring for epilepsy patients.

Epilepsy affects more than 20,000 people in Western Australia each year and Judy is excited to be part of helping them. She says “As Epilepsy Nurses in Australia, we have much more work to be done in caring for epilepsy patients, and in helping improve the quality of life for all epilepsy patients.”