Susan Thomas, SCU Practice Educator

My role as clinical educator on the Special Care Unit at Dorchester involves coordinating monthly study days for both the medical and nursing teams including consultants. The curriculum includes simulated clinical and human factors practice, resuscitation, calculating and preparation of complex drugs and recognition of deteriorating infant. This also includes any new procedures, equipment and ideas. Examples of simulation are deferred cord clamping (DCC) of a preterm in theatres, and less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) theory and practical.

Afternoon sessions comprise of skills stations (rarely used skills). Other sessions will include updates on the five principles of family integrated care, safeguarding delivered by the safeguarding lead, bespoke blood transfusion update with the blood transfusion practitioner and including a simulation.  This is mandated attendance and study time for all staff and rostered into the off-duty planner. In addition, staff make requests around current neonatal topics they wish to learn more about.

In addition, I support all new staff to the unit and all undergraduates of child branch nursing and midwifery. I am also responsible for undertaking Qualified in Speciality (QIS) learners’ practical assessments and ensuring appropriate mentors are allocated to the postgraduate learners.