Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Well, I’m a children’s nurse and I’ve been in nursing for 24 years now. I’ve previously worked as a nurse practitioner, a sister and a ward manager at our local district general hospital. As I’ve always been really interested in education and the training of nurses, I’ve also taught in higher education and I’m a qualified nurse educator. Now, I’m the Head of Learning and Development at Superior Healthcare.
What kind of training is available at Superior Healthcare?
We enroll all new nurses and carers into an induction that’s mapped to The Care Certificate and, for those who wish to work within complex care, there is a further three-day specialist induction. Our complex care training covers an array of conditions, including tracheostomies, epilepsy, ventilation and enteral feeding. When it comes to Agency, we recently introduced PMVA (Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression) as part of our training provision. This is a significant part of enrollment, as it covers conflict management, breakaway and control and restraint, all of which can occur unexpectedly. The PMVA training runs a couple of times a month and is an ongoing course. In addition to this, we also run refresher training for team members who already work with us. This training session is held annually and explores topics such as basic life support and manual handling. Yearly refresher training is also available for members of our complex care team to provide them with up-to-date information and techniques. We do run specialist training as and when it’s required. This kind of training covers several conditions, such as brain injury, autonomic dysreflexia and manual evacuation amongst others.
Why do you think the training at Superior Healthcare is different to other healthcare providers?
The training provided by Superior Healthcare is second-to-none. All our training is conducted face-to-face, and it’s always very engaging from the outset – there’s a lot of practical work involved. When it comes to complex care training, the theory side is explored first, and then followed by simulated practice. This often involves practicing techniques on our tracheostomy mannequins for the team to work on vital skills and gain confidence while doing so. These exercises are carried out in a quiet, safe training room to give staff the best possible learning environment possible. Attendees are also provided with feedback throughout. Even inductions require staff members to complete workbooks, as assessment is ongoing from the moment they begin their training.
What kind of response does the training receive?
We get excellent feedback from everyone who takes part in our training. I think this is because it’s very engaging all the way through and because the information is up-to-date, clinically sound and credible. We know how important it is to really engage with our audience, and this is something we pride ourselves on.
Why do you think this is?
It comes down to having the right people on board – the trainers have a great deal of experience (often in complex care). It’s not just about teaching basic life support or manual handling well – it’s about adhering to clinical practice and the application of the training itself.
How does this training have an impact on career progression?
Superior Healthcare is excited to offer accredited Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training for nurses throughout the year to enhance their clinical complex care skills. These courses will have a focus on clients who have a tracheostomy and will include simulated practice. In addition to this, we also run specialist courses that cover various topics as and when they are needed. We welcome training suggestions from members of the team and encourage their learning through additional courses when they are required – meaning our team members are continuously strengthening the skills they already possess, and familiarising themselves with new ones.
