We are a small team of experienced nurses working across the Falmer Campus and the Audrey Emerton Building at the Royal Sussex County Hospital delivering clinical technical skills teaching to all undergraduate medical students.
Our teaching curriculum is based on the twenty-three procedures set out in the GMC ‘Practical skills and procedures’ document which outlines the core set of skills and procedures, with a minimum level of performance, that newly qualified doctors must have when they start work for the first time so that they can practice safely.
These skills increase in complexity as students progress through their medical training and we use a wide variety of simulation equipment to create safe learning environments with a degree of reality to mirror the clinical setting. All of our sessions are interactive and hands-on and our aim is to simulate clinical practice in a setting which allows students to explore ideas and ways of doing things; to experiment and make mistakes, and to learn from and with each other to develop competence and confidence.
Clinical skills teaching is all formative and facilitators use a feed forward technique to discuss with students what has gone well and what could be improved for further practice, ensuring students leave the session with a clear idea of how to continue their learning. Teaching sessions prepare students to go out into supervised practice in General Practice and community settings and into the hospital settings from year 3 onwards. Ongoing supervised practice of these skills continues in the clinical areas supported by other doctors and nurses until students feel they are ready for their competency skill sign-off at any point between years 3 and 5.
We start with the foundations of hand hygiene, infection prevention and aseptic non-touch technique – a method that we use to minimise infection risk as we carry out our procedures. These three key subjects underpin everything that students will do going forwards as skills become more complex.
We teach clinical observations and basic diagnostic procedures such as capillary blood glucose monitoring and urine dipstick testing and progress on to venepuncture and cannulation and therapeutic procedures such as urinary catheterisation and basic wound care, closure and dressings. In order to simulate clinical practice, we have a wide variety of simulation trainers such as fake hands for blood glucose testing; arms for venepuncture and cannulation, and pelvic trainers for catheterisation. In some circumstances, where appropriate, students even practice skills on each other under direct supervision from faculty. The theoretical underpinnings and the task itself are put into practice using patient case study scenarios in order to help students relate their clinical skills teaching to real clinical presentations.
Towards the later years in medical school, students are brought into the simulation suite where clinical scenarios are played out in real time with an interactive mannikin. Here students have the opportunity to assess and treat a patient with support from a nurse and we are able to explore other important factors such as communication, teamwork and the practice of peer assessment and peer feedback.
As a team of nurses, we offer the opportunity for students to experience interprofessional learning from the very beginning of their training. We can share our breadth of clinical experience and support students going out into different clinical areas to help them to understand what they may expect to see, hear and do. We also have a team of education fellows who work both clinically and in supporting undergraduate education. They are a wonderful resource for questions and experiences and remember clearly what it was like to be an undergraduate medical student!
Clinical skills teaching not only prepares students for practice but also for exams. As a team, we are involved in the organisation and running of the OSCEs and we will make sure that students are fully prepared and supported with plenty of opportunities to practice.
The skills team are enthusiastic, engaging and approachable and will be the friendly faces that continue through your undergraduate medical education.
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