Archived case study

Virtuar e-learning in moving and handling

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Innovation

Virtuar is a web-based e-learning programme that delivers the theory of safe moving and handling to users through an engaging, interactive interface and state-of-the-art graphics. Virtuar utilises state-of-the-art 3D graphics and was created using advanced haptic suit technology to ensure students have the best possible theoretical understanding of moving and handling technique, legislation and back care exercises in order to stay injury free.

It is proven that 65% of students respond to, and retain, visual information more easily, therefore Virtuar engages with students visually and also demands user interaction to ensure concepts are understood and assimilated.

The Virtuar e-learning programme covers:

  • Moving and handling legislation – ensuring that students know what their legal responsibilities are
  • Back care exercises – presented via multi-camera angle views and designed to strengthen the muscles most fundamental in avoiding back injury
  • Risk assessment – practical advice on the challenges that students encounter daily
  • Key principles – defining concepts that students must know
  • Practice scenarios – fully interactive scenarios allowing students to conceptualise and apply theory within simulated situations.

What prompted innovation?

Musculoskeletal disorders cost the NHS £400million and account for 40% of absences each year even though manual handling training has been compulsory since 2003. Back pain can have a devastating effect on the lives and careers of health care staff who are constantly putting their own health at risk in moving less mobile patients and heavy equipment on a daily basis – sometimes in very cramped environments.

Birmingham City University educates and prepares over 1,000 students annually ready for the world of professional health care and has long recognised that equipping students with solid principles of moving and handling is essential to ensure they remain as injury-free as possible despite working long hours in environments where the demand to take ‘short-cuts’ and ignore safe practice may be acute. To this end, Birmingham City University adopts the very latest teaching methods and thinking, sometimes directly contradicting practices long held to be acceptable within the NHS.

We were aware that our pre-registration nursing students were not engaging with the traditional taught method of teaching moving and handling theory where the only interaction was a signature of attendance. Therefore we looked to new ways of teaching available at the time where we could challenge perceptions on moving and handling and look to imbed Virtuar within the Faculty strategy. All students are required to complete this training before they go out on placement.

What makes innovation different?

  • The use of advanced teaching methodology, student engagement, interactivity and the fact that essential learning is accessible 24/7 and to suit individual time constraints.
  • Virtuar presents a principle-based approach to teaching safe patient moving and handling on the premise that it is impossible to train for every single eventuality that a student might encounter. However, by imparting, and assuring the assimilation of best practice and procedures, it is possible to equip students with the essential knowledge to avoid injury in all situations.

Changes in practice

Against a backdrop where:

  • 40% NHS absences are related to musculoskeletal disorders costing the NHS (taxpayers) £400,000,000 every year (Source: NHS Employers Confederation2009)
  • In the NHS there are over 800,000 nurse back-injuries / year (Source: BackCare / NT 2011)
  • 3,600 healthcare workers retire early each year as a result of back injury (Source: Unison)
  • Each early retirement costs the NHS £60,000 (Source: BackCare / NT 2011)

. . . within Birmingham City University we hold the following statistics:

  • In 2010 (the first year Virtuar was introduced) we placed 4,500 students into practice placement and had 25 reported injuries related to moving and handling issues
  • In 2012 we placed 7,500 students into practice placement and had 3 reported injuries related to moving and handling issues. Two of these were traced back to ‘mentor pressure’ and one to ‘equipment failure’.

Impact

  • Student feedback and evaluation
  • Trust feedback
  • Runner up for the ‘Innovation Award’ presented at the ‘Birmingham Made Me’ event held at Millennium Point, Birmingham on 21 June 2013. The Birmingham Made Me Awards for the Best Midlands Collaborative (Education and Business) design shortlisted sixteen innovations from across the region. Virtuar was one of eight innovations put forward for this award by the selection team.

Dissemination

  • Virtuar has replaced all theoretical moving and handling training within Birmingham City University, Faculty of Health from 2010.
  • Virtuar can be acquired, under licence, by other UK and international H.E. institutions, health care organisations and training departments; interest has been generated from several UK universities and NHS Trusts.