When did you first introduce the innovation?
Between 12 and 24 months ago
Please describe the innovation you have developed
A simulation activity day was introduced utilising the skills lab and sim man and actors to allow practitioners to undertake clinical scenarios within a safe environment and gain experience and feedback from their peers working in other units across the country.
What prompted you to develop this innovation?
Simulation is not well used within post registration nursing. Administration of chemotherapy is a skill and this innovation was deemed more constructively aligned to the content and assessment of the module.
In your view, what is it about this innovation that makes it different/important?
Simulation is not widely used within post registration nursing. Administration of chemotherapy is a skill and this innovation was deemed more constructively aligned to the content and assessment of the module.
This has even been observed by private healthcare companies who have now set up simulation chemotherapy updates in collaboration with BCU to provide annual updates for their chemotherapy nurses. They utilise the skills lab and myself as a facilitator.
To what extent does your innovation make use of existing approaches, resources or technologies?
We use the simulation labs and the fabulous facilities at BCU. We utilise sim man within all his amazing capabilities, as well as actors. The technology associated with both sim man and the labs ability to stream live feeds up to the classroom for other students is also used.
To what degree has this innovation led to changes in education or clinical practice?
From data collected from the students, this has improved their educational experience, so much so they would like this to be the form of assessment (OSCE) rather than the current written assignment (this is being strongly considered). The simulation event has allowed them to practice emergency situations that they would not come across very often, within a safe environment allowing them a rehearsal before an actual event. This would hopefully improve care in patients receiving chemotherapy treatment in their clinical area.
What evidence do you have of the impact of the innovation?
Student evaluation and questionnaire following the simulation event.
To what degree has the innovation been disseminated in your organisation or elsewhere?
This has even been observed by private healthcare companies who were so impressed they have now set up simulation chemotherapy updates in collaboration with BCU to provide annual updates for their chemotherapy nurses. They utilise the skills lab and myself as a facilitator.
Please provide details of any plans you have to disseminate the innovation in the future.
Plan to write up article for publication and also present a poster at our educational conference.