Since the introduction of Cardiology Clinical Nurse Educators in 2015, the project of focus has been the implementation of the Heart Services education programme.
The first course ran in January 2017 and was designed to offer a dedicated and comprehensive training programme to registered nurses within the cardiology directorate.
Running two, six month courses per annum has resulted in over sixty nurses accessing this innovative training opportunity. Consisting of 5 competency based modules covering cardiac anatomy and physiology, cardiac rhythm recognition, acute coronary syndromes, long term heart conditions and cardiac surgery and intervention.
The course has transformed education and training provision within the service, a resource which had previously been lacking. Particular highlights of the course include the opportunity for the students to dissect a pig’s heart as part of the cardiac anatomy and physiology module.
Facilitated by a Cardiac Physiologist these sessions give our nurses an invaluable and visual understanding of cardiac structure which underpins all future teachings on the course and likewise their nursing practice within cardiology.
Patient and public involvement (PPI) is integrated within the itinerary. Previous service users return to attend a ‘patient stories’ session, enlightening our staff with reflective accounts of their experiences within the trust and the care which they received.
The course has been supported by various clinical disciplines from the service and has attracted staff from external organisations such as Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS trust. Confidence in practice and career progression has been the most notable outcome since the course has been established.
For further information please contact: Caroline Sheppard (Cardiology Matron) [email protected]