Implementation of an acute care teaching course for health professionals at a community hospital

Description by the author(s):

My project focused on developing an acute care teaching program for nursing staff and allied health professionals (AHCPs) at Lings’ Bar Hospital, a community hospital in Nottingham. Collaborating closely with senior managers, education teams and ward staff, I used a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle to identify key areas for improvement in managing acutely unwell patients, based on incident reports and staff feedback. I designed and delivered a half-day interactive course delivered over 5 sessions using simulations and case discussions to enhance skills in ABCDE assessments and SBAR handovers. Pre- and post-course surveys were conducted to measure the effectiveness of the training, revealing a significant boost in staff confidence and competence after attending the sessions. Despite challenges like balancing staffing needs with course attendance, the program successfully improved acute care skills. Future plans include continuous training, formal assessments to better measure knowledge retention, and expansion of the program to other community hospitals.