Revitalization of clinical skills training at the University of the Western Cape

Abstract

Curationis 33 (2): 51-59Most educational institutions that offer health related qualifications make use of clinical skills laboratories. These spaces are generally used for the demonstration and assessment o f clinical skills. The purpose o f this paper is to share our experi ences related to the revitalization o f skills training by introducing the skills lab method at the School of Nursing (SoN), University of the Western Cape (UWC). To accom modate the contextual changes as a result of the restructuring o f the higher educa tion landscape in 2003, the clinical skills training programme at UWC had to be reviewed. With a dramatic increase in the student numbers and a reduction in hospi tal beds, the skills lab method provided students with an opportunity to develop clinical skills prior to their placement in real service settings. The design phase centred on adopting a skills training methodology that articulates with the case-based approach used by the SoN. Kolb's, experiential learning cycle provided the theoretical underpinning for the methodology. The planning phase was spent on the development o f resources. Eight staff members were trained by our international higher education collaborators who also facilitated the training o f clini cal supervisors and simulated patients. The physical space had to be redesigned to accommodate audio visual and information technology to support the phases o f the skills lab method. The implementation o f the skills lab method was phased in from the first-year level. An interactive seminar held after the first year o f implementation provided feedback from all the role players and was mostly positive. The results of introducing the skills lab method include: a move by students towards self-directed clinical skills development, clinical supervisors adopting the role o f facilitators of learning and experiential clinical learning being based on, amongst others, the stu dents' engagement with simulated patients. Finally, the recommendations relate to tailor-making clinical skills training by using various aspects o f teaching and learning principles, i.e. case-based teaching, experiential learning and the skills lab method.

Experience of Nurse Educators on the Implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum for Nursing and Midwifery Programmes in Tanzania: A mixed method study.

“…The experiential learning model of Kolb (52), is the theory that fits the competency-based training well. The demonstration and simulation teaching methods provide learners an opportunity to cultivate the clinical competencies prior to their placement in a real clinical setting.…”

“…According to Kolb, the experiential learning model says learners must be exposed to the reality and that throughout the learning cycle/process, they must be given an appropriate comment for improvement (52). When demonstration and simulation methods are effectively applied, they enable the learner to gain the required competencies and become confident in real-time practice.…”

Experience of Nurse Educators on the Implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum for Nursing and Midwifery Programmes in Tanzania: A mixed method study.

“…The experiential learning model of Kolb (33), is the theory that fits the competency-based training well. The demonstration and simulation teaching methods provide learners an opportunity to cultivate the clinical competencies prior to their placement in a real clinical setting.…”

“…According to Kolb, the experiential learning model says learners must be exposed to the reality and that throughout the learning cycle/process, they must be given an appropriate comment for improvement (33). When demonstration and simulation methods are effectively applied, they enable the learner to gain the required competencies and become confident in real-time practice.…”

“…The quality of delivery focused on the types, relevance and frequency of the usage of teaching and learning methods/techniques. For instance, the usage of participatory teaching methods that facilitate students' understanding and develop skills in various aspects of learning (32) and using simulation to enable a learner develop clinical skills and reduce the shock of entering clinical practice (33).…”