The History of Bone Smart Forum

Josephine

NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITUS
Nurse Director
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BoneSmart was conceived in 2005 by Richard Warner when he found he needed a hip replacement and realized what dreadfully poor and biased info there was on the internet and that much of what there was, terribly hyped by the manufacturers.

So he set to work developing an organistation called BoneSmart with a dream to provide totally unbiased and neutral information to prospective hip and knee replacement patients. Pretty soon he had the BoneSmart.org website up and running with some excellent information.

The Board of Directors:
Next came FARM, the Foundation for the Advancement in Research in Medicine where surgeons can meet and discuss various issues. This provided the basis for our board of directors who provide back-up and specialist input.

Here am I with Richard Warner and three of the directors;
Front is James Buchanan (hip surgeon) and me, back, Richard Warner, Rocco Pitto (hip surgeon) and Ian Clarke (research scientist).
ai53.tinypic.com_20ig8r6.jpg


The BoneSmart Forum:
Finally, late in 2005, the forum was set up. It ran for about 3 years doing very little when I stumbled upon it and saw its potential. I also noticed there was little professional input so I emailed the admin (Richard Warner!) and asked if they would mind me providing comments here and there. Well, it seemed they had been aware of the need for some professional governance on the forum and had asked a doctor or two but no interest. They thought of having a nurse but didn't know how to go about finding one with the right credentials and experience in the subject but also in managing a forum! They told me that when they got my email they saw it as an answer to a prayer!

You might like to know the following about me:
I trained 59-62 at the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital and worked for 2 years (a long time in those days!) in the orthopaedic theatre there. The N&N was significant as that was the place where Ken McKee and John Watson-Farrar were working on the very first modern concept of a hip replacement. McKee also dallied with knee replacements and I scrubbed for the very first ever knee replacement in 1963 which sadly was a dismal failure.

After that I worked in a wide variety of hospitals up and down the UK, doing joint replacements in many of them as the procedure gained ground, ultimately working at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, in London.

I also ran a national Orthopaedic Study Days for some years, teaching theatre nurses about orthopaedic procedures and associated anatomy.

I was a Registered Nurse in the UK for almost 60 years and did have an Orthopaedic Nursing Certificate but sadly this ceased to exist when the nursing register underwent a massive restructuring in 1975.

Other than many published articles, I have also written a book of orthopaedic surgery ("A Compendium of Orthopaedic Surgery") specifically aimed at theatre nurses but which was also purchased by doctors, radiographers, physiotherapists and ward staff. I had copies of it sold as far abroad as the Channel Islands and the Falklands!

To maintain my knowledge for BoneSmart and my registration, I regularly attended hip and knee conferences and meet and converse with many surgeons from across the globe who, it may surprise you to learn, are invariably very much aligned with the 'BoneSmart Way'!

I also worked as an occupational health advisor/nurse and regularly got to advise/support patients who had hip or knee replacements until 2016 when I finally retired to spend even MORE time on the forum! I retired from BoneSmart in 2019.

As far as the forum activities go, I was a member of the moderating team on a large forum for about 3 years, ultimately becoming the training manager for 150 staff and thereby learned a great deal about administrating a forum from a top level.

I had knee replacements in 2009 and 2015 and have since had shoulder surgery 2016 and 2017.

Jamie, my co-admin:
For a while I was doing it single handedly but then decided to take on a moderator and invited Jamie to join me. Initially she was to just stand in for me for a couple of weeks when I had my knee done but she stepped up to the plate so well, we decided to keep her! She has been a great choice, bringing a caring, intuitive yet common sense value to the forum. She is a wonderful asset and is greatly valued by the rest of the team, especially me!

Jamie had a long career as a civilian administrator in the military and has an extensive knowledge of US governmental schemes, benefits and health issues. Jamie also attends hip/knee conferences from time to time. She has had both knees replaced.

Forum Staff who can all be seen in here The staff of the forum

Moderators:
First was Jaycey (2 hip replacements) and later referee54 (bilateral knee replacements) was added to the team towards the end of 2009.

They had been members for some time and shown a commitment to the forum in terms of staying around to help and encourage other members. They have both been a great asset to the forum. Jaycey has had two hip replacements and has worked in hospital administration in the UK and referee54 (Tim) had a bilateral knee replacement and apart from being a teacher and a referee, is kept busy coaching his kids!

Later two more joined us in the form of skigirl (2 knee replacements) and bottomshollow, (2 knee replacements and a hip!) so both have experience to share.

Poppet had a hip replacement and provides us with nutritional advice but sadly passed away in February 2017. She is still missed.

The Forum Advisors:
There came a time that we decided to appoint a group of forum advisors to help us adjudicate in reports and other such problems and the current advisors. They have no moderating powers but help to keep us on the level and rule out any bias when we come to dealing with reports and action on problem members as well as being a presence on the forum. An essential aspect of moderating a forum. All have had joint replacements and also possess a variety of skills such as personal trainer and physical therapist.

Others you will see in the Forum Leaders list are administration and the back-room guys:
BoneSmart CEO who is Mark Sacaris
BoneSmart Technical Director who is Mike Szuch

Evolution of BoneSmart:
As for BoneSmart, in 2010 it underwent a massive upgrade of the forum, the main site, and the clinic locator. Upgrades are being added constantly.

We plan even more upgrades to continue to develop the forum. Exciting times!
 
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Dearest Josephine,
Whoa!!!! You and yours should be so proud. I love this place and you can tell by the posts from all, they do too.

This is a fantastic web site with so many things to offer. I feel like I haven't even gotten into the meat of it, just scratched the surface....I look forward each day to finding out something new.




Sincerely,
Sherri
 
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Wow Jo, thanks so much for this. Sounds like exciting times ahead for BS.

Everyday I am so thankful for finding this site! Thanks to you and all your colleagues!
 
Fascinating reading Josephine! You and the rest of the staff must feel very proud of what you have accomplished. You have helped so many!!
All the best for the bigger and better future of Bone Smart.

Sincere Regards, Ross :thnk:
 
You folks have been life savers for so many of us! I'm speaking for myself of course but I'm sure for many others as well! I feel so blessed to have found this site out of desperation. I don't know what I would have done otherwise.

Keep up the great work :thmb:! I'd return the favor in any way I could for you BoneSmarties!
 
Thank you everyone....I've said it before but it bears repeating. Our members are the shining stars of this forum....helping each other and keeping things positive. I am honored to be a part of BoneSmart and provide whatever assistance I can. I have learned so much from Josephine...she's a patient teacher.
 
I have never regretted joining the group, you have all helped me so much especially when I just want to give up. I know when I post here someone will be there to support me..Thank you for being here....JackiesLost
 
josephine thank you for explaining the history of bonesmart.
I cant tell you how much I depend on you as I have needed to accept the fact that my hip is going to need treatment in the future.
I have been researching stemcell treatment and discovered that trials on knee therapy are going on at wrightington with Mr Aslam Mohammed the hospital where everything started.
Do you think bonesmart could involve this new therapy so that people at the start of this frightening journey could learn more.
once again thank you for faccillitating such a much needed resource.
 
We will, but it's a bit new at the moment. Once there is a definitive protocol hammered out and in use we'll be including it in the BoneSmart.org website.
 
Wow wow wow! I always felt this was a first class site. Reading all the information on it was impressive. How wonderful Josephine that you were to become a part of it and spur on its success. With the addition of Jamie and later all the others to help moderate and other things Bonesmart was destined to grow and succeed.

Speaking for myself I am so grateful to have stumbled on this site. It has helped me so much!

Josephine I wonder if I can find your book in the US. It might help our educator with our staff.

Thank-you to everyone who makes this blessed site possible.

Donna
 
Sadly not, Donna, For one thing it is incredibly out of date now - first produced in 1985! And for another, I spent very little time talking about trauma and joint replacements. It was primarily a tutorial for theatre staff on the routine and very basic procedures like bunions and carpal tunnel.

If you really want, I could run off a copy for you but I think you'd find it hysterically old!
 
Thanks so much for the history lesson, Jo, it was fascinating reading and makes me even more grateful for the hours of information and human stories I have enjoyed on here for the last seven months. Like so many others I don't know how I would have coped without many daily doses of BoneSmart.

Thanks to everyone, members and staff, and especially thanks for the altruism of Richard Warner who allowed it to be born. Also good wishes for the exciting future you outlined - a string of specialist hospitals!!!! WOW
 
Thanks Jo for offering to copy it for me. You don't need to do that. But I am proud of you for writing it. I was bragging on you and the site to a couple of our nurses at work today.

One is nearing accepting her need for a total knee. The other has a painful ankle that was fused when she was 5. She is in her 50's I believe and it is getting more painful. Her foot is very misshapen now and she has been told that she doesn't have enough bone for a total ankle.

Donna
 
Oh bless her! Sounds like her only recourse would be a fusion then. Has she looked into that?
 
5? Oh my! So she's had a good run on it (pardon the pun) but sounds like it may need doing again. Or maybe an adjacent joint requires attention. Funny things, feet. Too complex for their own good!
 
Brilliant to read about history. My mother in law had one of the first hip replacements in Glasgow Royal Infirmary in 1964. She was in hospital for three months. Visiting was only allowed twice a week. She had to have her two sons looked after by relatives as her husband couldn't afford to take the time off work financially. How times have changed and how lucky am I!
 

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