KSS Paediatrics ST1 Induction Pack

KSS Paediatrics ST1 Induction Pack

Posted on By Genevieve BoothIn Team CommunicationLeave a comment

Key Contacts

Genevieve Booth, Paediatrics ST2 KSS (genevieve.booth@nhs.net)

KSS Paediatrics Trainee Committee (heksstrainees@gmail.com)

Introduction

Each year the KSS Paediatrics Trainee Committee designs and organises the induction day for new ST1s entering the deanery. For the first time in 2017 we decided to accompany the face to face induction with a written guide for our new starting ST1s, with information on as many aspects of training as possible, and a particular emphasis on what to expect and what to accomplish in ST1 – a challenging time for many trainees, especially those with limited experience and confidence in paediatrics. We wanted the guide to be optimistic, fun and simple to navigate and understand. Each year the induction pack is updated and expands, and will hopefully become more than an induction pack and mould into a trainee led guidance document for paediatric trainees at all levels within KSS.

SMART Objectives

Chiefly our objective was to create a thorough guide to starting a career in paediatrics within KSS, that would adequately prepare and reassure new starting ST1s and serve as a future reference point for frequently asked questions. We wanted the guide to be flexible enough to update and expand in future with current working links to useful resources. We specifically wanted the guide to feel and sound as though it was coming from other trainees, and to be based on experience as well as dry facts. The guide would have to be readable, encouraging and humorous.

We were going to measure the guide’s success on the feedback we received, and whether there are still questions unanswered by it.

The project was always attainable as there are so many resources (both written, and in our colleagues’ experiences and wisdom) available to paediatric trainees; it’s just a matter of taking the time to put those resources together in one place and making them accessible.

Relevance to paediatric ST1s was always paramount, but we hope that as the induction pack evolves, it can be expanded to have relevance to all paediatric trainees within KSS, and that the information within it may form an integral part of our trainee led website (currently in development).

The clear deadline for the ST1 induction pack was in time for the ST1 induction – and the same is true of the updated version we are producing this year!

Progress

The 2017 Induction Pack was well received by those trainees who read it. We were given lots of informal positive feedback on its readability and the usefulness of the content. I’ve learnt such a lot about the structure of training and processes that occur within KSS school of paediatrics from putting it together, and that knowledge has helped me in my role within the committee when answering queries from trainees of all levels. It has also given us a great starting point for the content of the KSS paediatrics trainee website which is in development.

The main learning point is that we need to disseminate the induction pack more, and continue to share and make it accessible throughout the year. Otherwise it risks being lost amongst a dozen other documents handed out at induction. With the 2018 update we will be sharing on social media, and incorporating the information into a website which will hopefully reach a wider readership that can actively engage with its development. As expected, with another year of changes to the administration within the deanery we have plenty to update in the 2018 version; as well as brand new sections.

Take Home Message

Trainees can create valuable and flexible resources for one another that may be shorter, easier and more fun to read than official “top down” resources and documents. Creating resources for one another generates a sense of community and mentorship that is good for the morale of those disseminating the guidance as much as for those receiving it. With KSS deanery going through a very difficult transition period this year which has affected feedback, communication and administration; clear information that is easy to access is more important than ever for trainees.

Resources

RCPCH Website

KSS Paediatrics Trainees Website (in development)

KSS Paediatrics School Website

Postgraduate Training Gold Guide 2016

The collective experiences of the KSS Paediatrics Trainee Committee!

Teen Health Talk

Teen Health Talk

Posted on By Susan MalkinIn GeneralLeave a comment

Key contacts

Dr. Stephanie Lamb  stephanielamb@nhs.net

Susan Malkin  susan.malkin@gstt.nhs.uk

Elanor Williams elanor.williams@gstt.nhs.uk

Introduction

Health inequalities impact heavily on adolescents; this and many more aspects of adolescent health are often neglected. We know that adolescent health is important, not least because 70% of preventable deaths among adults are the result of behaviours initiated or reinforced in adolescence. Healthcare for adolescents is not adequately responsive to adolescents health needs, and communication between healthcare professionals and teens is often poor. Adolescents tell us that they want better healthcare that is more responsive to their needs and lifestyles. Timely healthcare interventions at this developmental stage can have long term benefits.

  • Healthy behaviours can be established
  • Long term mental health problems can be prevented
  • Appropriate use of health services can be encouraged

The Teen Health Talk (THT) is a resource that has been developed to support a structured and meaningful consultation with young people, for early identification of vulnerable teenagers with physical and mental health issues so that they can be supported to make healthy lifestyle choices which can potentially last the life course. 

It has been designed by a GP expert in adolescent health, Dr Stephanie Lamb, clinical lead for primary care within the Children & Young People’s Health Partnership (CYPHP). This resource was developed in close consultation with the many young people who have been helped by her and the team’s service at The Well Centre.

CYPHP is exploring how the Teen Health Talk can be used more widely, both by GPs and other professionals such as youth workers.

SMART objectives

To improve young people’s experience of primary care consultations.

To identify unmet areas of need and signpost young people to appropriate support.

To engage young people in hospital to talk about their physical and emotional well-being and to signpost them to services and encourage them to remain engaged with health services. 

Progress made:

The Teen Health Talk is available as an EMIS (GP data system) template as a structured set of questions and ‘conversation starters’ alerting the GP to current medical problems, lifestyle, risk factors, and safety. It provides prompts, helping the GP conduct an effective consultation, and provides links to available resources.

CYPHP are training Redthread and the London Gang Exit youth workers in the use of a modified version of the THT called ‘You and Your Health’ to support them in engaging hard to reach groups

A youth worker, funded by CYPHP, as part of the King’s Adolescent Outreach Service (KAOS) is using the resource tool to support young people aged 16 to 19 years old who are being treated on adult wards across King’s College Hospital. Using the tool the youth worker is able to engage the young person in talking about their physical and emotional well-being and to signpost them to services and encourage them to remain engaged with health services.

 

What have you learned from doing this?

Early pilot testing has shown us that to support wider role out across primary care we need to provide more input and training to raise awareness of why teen health is relevant and important. We are developing materials that are readily accessible within primary care, for example a training/awareness video to help support primary care in the use of the THT.

We will be evaluating the youth worker training to assess improvements in knowledge and skills and impact, by convening focus groups to follow up with the youth workers experience of working with young people.

We are working with King’s Health Partners to scope the potential for developing an electronic version of the THT so that it can be accessed via tablet or phone in the hospital and information will be readily accessible through the electronic patient record (EPR).

 

What’s your take home message?

70% of adult preventable deaths are the result of behaviors initiated or reinforced in adolescence. Timely interventions at this developmental stage can have long term benefits in all aspects of life. However healthcare for adolescents is often poor, due in part to lack of support and training for workforce. The Teen Health Talk supports general practitioners and other people working with young people to have structured conversations about physical and mental health care to enable healthy behaviors to be established, prevent long term mental health problems and encourage appropriate use of health services.

Resources?

If you are interested in using the Teen Health Check in your practice, please contact Ellie Williams at elanor.williams@gstt.nhs.uk for further information.

For informaton about the CYPHP visit  http://www.cyphp.org/

The Well Centre https://www.thewellcentre.org

About Kings Adolesecnt Outreach Service    https://cyphp.org/whats-new/134-kaos-king-s-hospital-s-new-project-to-improve-care-for-adolescents

Community resuscitation training for children – Restart a Heart day

Community resuscitation training for children – Restart a Heart day

Posted on By Hermione RaceIn Patient InformationLeave a comment

Caroline Scott-Lang – team leader; Naomi Hosking – co-developer; Bea Liddell; Practice Champions manager, Connecting Care for Children; Fran Cleugh, Paediatric A+E consultant

Contact: caroline.scott-lang@imperial.nhs.uk

 

Knowing how to perform basic life support can be lifesaving. Our team already ran BLS classes for parents and carers, but doctors and nurses at Imperial wanted to support international Restart a Heart Day, to help young people learn an essential skill and build relationships with local schools.

 

Specific: We planned to deliver adult basic life support training sessions in two local schools, across different year groups, on Restart a Heart Day 2016 (Tuesday 18th October). Schools were selected by a Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine and the Connecting Care for Children (CC4C) team who had previously established interest in outreach teaching by the hospital team. Teachers liaised with clinical staff in advance to identify the numbers involved. Faculty was drawn from the Imperial Emergency Medicine, Paediatric Emergency Medicine, and Paediatrics departments. Staff were cross-covered from clinical duties where required. BLS mannequins were provided by the Trust resuscitation team. 90 minute teaching sessions were delivered at Westminster Academy and Queens Park schools. Emphasis was on children feeling comfortable with the technique of BLS whilst teaching them why we do what we do and using interactive discussion, video and role play to bring the session to life.

Measurable: Our aim was to teach BLS to as many children as practically possible on the day. Children’s understanding and technique was checked by experienced staff to ensure they had learned the skills safely. Although we did not collect formal feedback, verbal feedback and email contact from the schools afterwards was very positive. One child told us: “I feel like a hero, I can now save someone’s life.”

Attainable: Schools were consulted in advance to identify year groups who would engage well with the teaching and had time in their programmes to accommodate the session. The team took guidance on what would be helpful and we agreed our lesson plans with their teachers. Key teaching objectives were agreed by the teams visiting each site and adult BLS was taught according to St John’s Ambulance standards. The biggest resource required was clinical time, but the skill to be taught is a basic one and we were able to recruit faculty from a range of specialties and clinical roles (nursing, medical, outreach practitioners). This enabled us to have a faculty of 10 clinical staff without impacting on the running of the departments involved. Relevant: Knowing how to perform BLS is an essential life skill and empowering young people with the knowledge of how to respond in an emergency can be hugely beneficial. The Imperial teams were keen to develop relationships with local schools and raise our profile both locally and nationally, using social media to engage with a large-scale event.

Time bound: As the event was to take place on a specific date, all planning was done with this in mind and took place over a short period of time (around 2-3 weeks).

 

Progress made:

After the success of the first events, run in 2 schools, we now know we have a sustainable model and the potential for an annual event that can grow to include more children.

 

What have you learned from doing this?
– have built relationships with local schools – have developed a reproducible lesson plan that has been well received by students – closer working relationships with staff from other teams (Emergency Medicine, Outreach team) – effective use of social media to join in national campaigns – commitment to join national efforts on an annual basis
What’s your take home message?
This is a simple but essential skill that most clinicians would feel comfortable teaching to others. Children and their schools are very receptive to hospital teams reaching out to deliver this teaching. Pinning a project to a national event (e.g. Restart a Heart day) can provide a platform for better engagement.
Resources:
https://www.resus.org.uk/events/rsah/ https://www.cc4c.imperial.nhs.uk/our-experience/blog/restart-a-heart-day