Clinical Skills

Aseptic Non-Touch Technique (ANTT) is taught as standard in all our practical skills sessions. Infection prevention is an important aspect of patient safety, ANTT offers a recognised universal framework that provides a key set of principles that aims to reduce the risk of infection during clinical procedures. This session can also be offered as a stand alone session, or alongside a clinical skill, covering the theoretical knowledge required for clinical practice. There is an accompanying competency document that requires completion.

We also provide training to staff members wishing to become assessors in their clinical areas.

Offered monthly, the ECG session provides learners with the underpinning theory required to competently perform an ECG in practice. Open to all clinical staff, the session is designed to meet all learners needs and includes a practical element. There is an accompanying competency document that requires achievement in the clinical areas.

Both cannulation and venepuncture are very popular sessions and they can be delivered separately or combined.  Delivered in our purpose-built teaching room, they are interactive theory and practical sessions providing the knowledge required to peripherally cannulate/take bloods, as well as identifying the responsibilities of staff and exploring the associated risks. There is an opportunity to practice the skill on a manikin arm during the session. Sessions currently run three times a month and are open to all clinical staff. Combined sessions can currently be arranged via the clinical skills team. Timetabled combined sessions will be coming for 2024. There is an accompanying document competency assessment document for both skills.

NEWS 2/deteriorating patient is predominantly a theory based session, which highlights the importance of NEWS 2 and how to identify the deteriorating patient when in clinical practice. It aims to translate what the numbers mean and how to escalate. Neurological observations are also included in the session. This session can be offered as part of a upskilling day, bespoke to areas, arranged via the clinical skills team and is also included on large scale Induction for Newly Qualified Nurses and Trainee Nursing Associates.

We offer both male and female urethral catheterisation, both delivered in our purpose-built teaching room to offer both the theory and practical aspect of the skills. The training illustrates the roles, responsibilities and accountability of staff when performing and managing urethral catheterisation. The practical aspect uses our manikins giving the learner opportunity to utilise the knowledge and experience of our educators whilst learning. Female sessions are timetabled monthly and male sessions bi-monthly and are open to all registered nurses, midwives and nursing associates. Combined sessions can also be arranged via the clinical skills team. There is an accompanying competency assessment document for both skills.

IM injections is an interactive theory and practical session that provides the, underpinning the theory of why this method of administration is preferable for the administration of some medications, along with the importance of correct site selection and technique. Open to all those who administer medications and/or vaccines via this route the session is not offered as part of our regular timetable, therefore needs to be arranged with the clinical skills team, meaning it can be offered as a 1-1 or a group session. When the session is arranged, some background information will be required about what will be administered as part of your role, so the session can be delivered ensuring the correct technique is taught, as there can be slight variations dependant on the medication/vaccine administered.

CVAD forms the final session of medicines administration and covers why CVADs are necessary in the care and treatment of some patients, and are the preferred method of medication administration. The differences in management of CVADs compared to peripheral IV lines is explored, the training also considers the roles and responsibilities of the practitioner, along with the advantages, disadvantages and the risks of CVADs. This session runs once a month and are available to all registered nurses, midwives or those undertaking the ACP course who haven’t previously required this skill. Clinical competence will need to be achieved in practice, and accompanying documents will be provided by clinical skills.

SAMs is high priority training for all staff who administer, advise on, or review medications as part of the assessment process (pre-op assessment). We offer sessions on induction to the Trust and an update is required two yearly at present. As part of the sessions, staff are provided with an information padlet, where they can access relevant links that cover the legal and professional considerations of the administration process, as well as complete an assessment if it is an update. Anaphylaxis, oxygen administration and medication safety events are also covered in both the induction and update, to provide the foundation for alternative administration routes, such as IV/CVAD. Multiple sessions are offered monthly, or alternatively there is an E-Learning update available on ESR. Those who are new to medications are required to complete a competency document after their induction session, those new to BTHFT but have prior experience with medications are required to have a competency assessment once in their clinical areas

IV administration follows the SAMs Induction session, to build on knowledge gained from this. An interactive theory and practical session that highlights roles, responsibilities and accountability to staff that will be responsible for the administration of IV medications and fluids to patients. Delivered jointly with pharmacy, it also covers practical elements such as reconstitution, as well as the safe use of infusion devices such as Fresenius infusion pumps. These sessions run in line with the BTHFT induction weeks and are currently only available to those who will be administering via the IV route.  As per the requirements for SAMs, those new to IV administration will be required to complete a competency document, those new to BTHFT with prior experience can undertake an assessment in their clinical area but must provide evidence of their previous competency document.

Consent is an integral part of healthcare that is quite often misinterpreted, this session aims to demystify consent, by covering the theoretical components of non-medical consent, providing the learner with the legal, ethical and professional considerations when obtaining consent, as well as looking at refusal and withdrawal of consent. Sessions can be offered to those who are required to obtain consent as part of their role, with an accompanying competency document, or it can be offered to those who need to understand consent in more detail. Although the session is offered quarterly, bespoke sessions for clinical areas can be arranged via the clinical skills teams.

Aimed at those in areas where the death of a patient is expected, and medical cover is limited, the session covers the theory of the verification of expected death and provides the learner with understanding of national guidance of the steps required to verify the death of a patient along with the legal, ethical and professional considerations. There is opportunity to practice the steps within the session and competency assessment can be provided by the clinical skills team. This session isn’t timetabled regularly throughout the year, therefore, will need to be arranged via the clinical skills team. This skill requires a 2 yearly update, which again can be organised via the clinical skills team.

Basic respiratory skills can be taken as a stand alone session or it can form the first part of the four respiratory based sessions offered. A theory based session, that looks at the basic anatomy and physiology, how to assess respiratory status including chest auscultation, the care of patients on oxygen and how to set up humidified oxygen. The session will look at when to escalate patient care, not just to medical staff, but also when it is appropriate to involve the respiratory physio team. The session runs monthly and is open to all those who undertake NEWS2/care for patients on oxygen. There will be an accompanying document for the chest auscultation element.

Forming the third session in our respiratory sessions, enhanced respiratory skills is aimed at developing knowledge gained from the basic respiratory skills day. The day is delivered jointly by the respiratory physio team and clinical skills team and looks at the theory of Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV) and includes the above training on chest drains.  The session covers how to care for those receiving NIV and those with ICDs, the role and responsibilities of the nurse and recognising deterioration or improvement of the patient. Run quarterly it is aimed at registered nurses, midwives and nursing associates. There will be some accompanying competency assessment documents.

Forming the last part of our respiratory focused sessions, the Neckbreathers study day is aimed at those who care for patients with tracheostomies and laryngectomies. The day incorporates theory and simulates practical of daily care and emergency management. The day is facilitated as a multidisciplinary approach and is offered to registered nurses, midwives, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists. This training is provided in a hybrid approach, there is a pre-course requirement to completing the National Tracheostomy Safety Project (NTSP) E-Learning modules, which can be accessed via ESR. Offered 4 times a year, we utilise the Simulation suite, where we can make the simulated aspect more realistic. A fantastic day that aims at building the knowledge, skills and confidence of all team members involved in delivering care to this vulnerable patient groups Post study day there will be clinical competencies to achieve and a yearly update in emergency care and management.

ICDs can be used as a stand alone session or as part of the respiratory skills sessions offered. It is aimed at those who care for patients who require chest drains, but not necessarily on non-invasive support. It illustrates the role of the nurse in the care of chest drains, along with highlighting why they are inserted, as well as looking at the risks and how to troubleshoot complications. This session needs to be arranged via the clinical skills team and can be added as part of an upskilling day. There is also an accompanying competency assessment document to complete.