Be the ‘first to act’ on quality care
A new online education program may help nurses learn how to more effectively manage ‘deteriorating’ and fragile patients.
Associate Professor Simon Cooper, lead developer of FIRST2ACTweb™, claims the program allows nurses to see the consequences of making the 'wrong' decision in patient care.
The simulation based learning program, Feedback Incorporating Review and Simulation Techniques to Act on Clinical Trends (FIRST2ACTweb), is a collaborative project developed by researchers from Monash University, the University of Queensland, Deakin University, Federation Training (formerly GIPPSTafe) and international institutions.
The FIRST2ACTweb program allows students and healthcare workers to put their skills and knowledge to the test in realistic settings – and see the consequences of making the 'wrong' decision.
Associate Professor Simon Cooper, lead developer and head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Monash University’s Berwick campus, says mismanagement of “physiologically deteriorating” patients is a concern to medical professionals.
“Deteriorating patients are not always identified by health care professionals, with reports showing that key signs are missed in up to 46% of hospital cases,” Associate Professor Cooper claims.
“It is a serious patient safety problem internationally. Managing a deteriorating patient is not particularly complex but, in a stressful situation, nurses can forget the essentials,” he adds.
According to Associate Professor Cooper, there is a tendency not to notice that vital signs are getting worse and a lack of understanding of the things to do when patients are gradually deteriorating – including a failure to call for help when required.
He fears the deskilling of healthcare staff in the management of emergencies and claims the “best way” to resolve the issue is to practise in simulated settings, such as FIRST2ACTweb.
As part of the program, healthcare staff work through three scenarios depicting ‘patients’ (professional actors) who show signs of deteriorating.
In a set time, the student is required to select the appropriate treatment or procedure, for example giving oxygen, taking blood tests or changing the bed position. If the students' response is incorrect, the ‘patient’ fails to improve.
The FIRST2ACTweb program was originally intended for Australian nursing students but, for the past year, international healthcare students and practitioners have also been able to access it.
Find out more about the FIRST2ACTweb program.
