This is just what we do now!

Nurse Placement Activity

We have had an exciting couple of days filming in 360 degrees!

Our team of actors and clinicians have helped us capture 10 nurse clinic scenarios that we’re going to use as part of the virtual nurse placement pilot.  Our fab experienced Legacy Nurse Lisa created the scenarios in accordance with the learning outcomes that year three nursing students would be required to experience on a placement out in General Practice.

Each one has been specifically curated in a way that it will spark conversation, investigation and challenge the students to think further than the clinical aspects of the encounter.  We have two scenarios that show what could happen in practice but is less about the clinical content and more geared towards what might happen as part of the working day and how it can feel sometimes.  One is looking at how a nurse clinic can become overwhelming and recognition of when things become too much to potentially unsafe levels; its about having the ability to recognise that and decide whether or not to continue.  The other is an emergency situation in the reception; this happens time and time again when patients come to the practice rather than dialling 999 or going to A&E where its appropriate to be seen for this type of situation.  It requires fast reactions and the deployment of CPR!

What we need to do now is to create the placement template, formalising the activities planned for the placement but making it a meaningful and enjoyable taught session for the nursing students… then actually deliver it, evaluate it and get it endorsed!  Easy 😉

Me! Me ! Me! 🙋‍♂️

With my confidence growing in facilitating sessions with the headsets so too does the confidence and support of the Hub team and programme leads.  This can only be our ‘business as usual’ if they want to have their sessions supplemented with the technology.  It doesn’t replace their teaching, it enhances it; I’m absolutely over the moon that they can see that too.  More GP trainee sessions are promised before the summer too!

The Greener Estate CIC - Our first Home

We’ve secured our first space!  Its small but perfectly formed; with space for 30 learners but access to a larger event space that holds 100.  On a site where the greener agenda is the focus with heating from a ground source heat pump, recycling, allotments and green spaces in an urban area.  It certainly plays into our ‘Grow Our Own’ analogy and we’re couldn’t be more excited.

A big thank you to Ted and Susan who have welcomed us in! https://greenestate.org.uk/

The location offers easy access from the motorway and public transport, whilst having an elevated position it offers views over the city but a green outlook and surroundings.  We’re hoping to take advantage of the large event space on site which holds 100 people and the offer of wellbeing sessions in the green spaces run by the Greener Estate team.  The Rhubarb Shed café on site will provide us with some catering options and just a coffee and a cake when its needed.  It feels warm and inviting, calming and soothing which we intend to soak up every time we’re there.

More than this, it is our first space.  Being more visible with that stable location will mean so much to us; it will save us money immediately and will become a space where we can showcase our work. It’s not the big shiny building we dreamed of at the beginning of this but this feels right.  I still have one eye on a big shiny building or two!

Maybe we’ll see some of you there soon!

Thank you!!

I have to say a big thank you for all your continued interest and support.

Its become clear recently to me that this project and the activities we class as Business as Usual are certainly not that for many trainers around the country, no matter what health or social care organisation they’re working in.  I was recently on a panel hosted by HTN (see our News section for the recording!) and I spoke at length about what we’d been able to achieve and it certainly sparked some questions and requests for connections from the audience!

I’m currently working with the NHSE National Innovation Blueprints Team and have passed the first round of their process.  Completing the Blueprint documentation and having it published alone is a triumph and something we can be proud of.  However If the idea of the Innovation Centre is deemed appropriate, sustainable and generally a really good idea this could become a blueprint that is replicated in other areas!  Who know, we could become that National Innovation Centre we first talked about.