S.P.A.C.E. (Skills Practice and Clinical Enhancement)

Augmenting clinical skills opportunities for undergraduate healthcare students

Wendy Parkinson

Community Staff Nurse, Walsall Healthcare NHSTrust, (Alumni, Birmingham City University)

Lindsay Yardley

Senior Lecturer, Skills, Simulation & Learning

Birmingham City University

Background: national & local perspectives

• Success & Retention

• Attrition

• Clinical skills failure

• Failing to fail

• Lack of opportunity to practice

• Consistency in skills teaching

S.P.A.C.E. Skills Practice & Clinical Enhancement

add photograph of room

SPACE equipment

Clinical Skills Procedures

Virtual Learning Objects

Urinalysis Oxygen Administration

Blood Transfusion

S.P.A.C.E. moodle page

• Clinical skills procedures

• Virtual resources

• Video Demonstrations

• National resources

• Discussion forum

• Feedback opportunities

Student experience Strengths Limitations

Safe environment to learn Accessibility; SPACE times do not always match student

timetable

Can learn at own pace Crowded if full

Good foundation for pre-placement preparation

Shared equipment

Clear & user friendly skills procedures

Self directed learning not always valued by students

Accessible Is it a way of saving money?

Relaxed environment Is it realistic enough?

Replicates reality SPACE has outgrown its space!

Student comments

“Having the rationale column was really useful to link theory to practice and to my learning. I thought I already knew how to do some of these skills and I obviously didn’t.”

Student comments

“S.P.A.C.E. gave us extra time to practice what we are not having the opportunity to practice on clinical placement….the wards are sometimes too busy to accommodate learning.”

Student comments

“ I realised that I do not practice enough when on placement…sometimes on placement certain skills don’t get used e.g. manual blood pressure, SPACE gave me an opportunity to practice these skills and to keep myself up to date”

Staff experiences

• Underestimation of the support required by students

• Expectations of students

• Effective use of staff time

• Consistency in teaching approaches

• Oust & address myths!

Recent Developments

• Midwifery

• Operating Department Practitioners

• OSCE’s

• Peer feedback

Future ideas

• Student S.P.A.C.E. Ambassador Scheme

• Increase variety of skills on offer

• Further the range of video demonstrations/virtual learning resources

• Increase availability

• Local resources

Contribution & Recognition

With much appreciation and gratitude to:

• Students and staff at the Faculty of Health, Birmingham City University.

• Staff in the Department of Skills & Simulation

• Pat Berridge & Cathy Liddle, fellow co-ordinators of S.P.A.C.E activities at BCU.

References:

• Biggs (2003) Teaching for Quality Learning at University. 2nd Ed. United Kingdom: Open University Press.

• Duffy (2004)• Freeman, R and Yardley, L (2007). Transition to university life:

Report on the first year Dip He and BSc Nursing Induction Questionnaire. Birmingham City University: Faculty of Health (unpublished)

• National Audit Office (2001) Educating and Training the Future Healthcare Professional Workforce for England. London: The Stationary Office.

• National Audit Office (2007). Staying the course: The retention of students in higher education. London: The Stationary Office.

Contact Details:Lindsay Yardley & Wendy Parkinson

C/O Birmingham City University

Faculty of Health

School of Professional Practice

Department of Skills & Simulation

City South Campus

488 Seacole Building

Westbourne Road

Birmingham

B15 3TN

Tel: 0121 331 6020

Email: Lindsay.Yardley@bcu.ac.uk

Wendy Parkinson via wparkinson@hotmail.co.uk