Accelerated Perioperative Nursing Education-
Pilot projectInternational Alliance for Perioperative Best Practice
ORNAC 23rd National & International Conference with IFPNApril 21-25, 2013
©E.J. Ahlquist 2013
Educational Programs are never static.
◦ Ie. SIAST Perioperative Nursing Program↳Operating Room Techniques Program
Drivers or emerging trends effect educational design.◦ Practice◦ Environment◦ Need◦ Technology◦ etc
Establishing Perioperative Nursing Programs:International Perspective
Outline Background
Program Overview
Project Design
Results
Lessons Learned
Educational Change
Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative (SSI)Sooner, Safer, Smarter
◦ Surgical wait time is a key concern for patients and families.
◦ Goal to reduce wait times to less than 3months by 2014.
◦ Staged approach to reduction: <12 months, <6months, and <3months.
Context
SIAST developed a proposal to provide additional educated Perioperative Nurses in an expedited fashion.
Collaboration with the Saskatoon Health Region and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health.
Highly successful◦ Zero attrition◦ Timely response to industry demand
Response to need
2 intakes per academic year (fall and winter).
1. Fall intake of 6 students2. January intake of 12 students
Provincial demand for graduates spiked.◦ Provincial expectations◦ Shift toward standardized education◦ Utilization of Operating Rooms capacity
provincially
Program Overview
Learning Method:
6 theory courses delivered by distance (asynchronous online).
5 day psychomotor skills lab. 10 weeks of clinical practice.
◦ 4 weeks of SIAST instructor led.◦ 6 weeks of preceptor led.
Program Overview
Project Design
Traditional“Pilot Project”
Asynchronous online theory.◦ 23 weeks theory.◦ Full-time employment.◦ SIAST Instructor.◦ Students online
activities. Ie. SKYPE™
◦ 5 day psychomotor skills lab.
◦ 10 week clinical.
Modified delivery schedule:◦ ⇓theory to10weeks.◦ Salaried while studying.◦ Saskatoon Instructor.◦ Learning activities
hybridized.◦ 5 day psychomotor skills
lab.◦ 10 week clinical.
Project Design cont…
Clinical Sequencing
Complicated ◦ Macro level provincial needs.◦ Unpredictable nature of requests.◦ Managing partnership.◦ Quality assurance.
Established schedules◦ Two traditional clinical sessions.◦ Balanced recruitment.◦ Managing intake locations.
Clinical Sequencing
Secondary effects Expansion of clinical education locations. Enhanced standardization of education.
RISK of becoming to Urban-centric. Enhanced or new relationships with Regional Health
Authorities. Opportunity…
Clinical Sequencing
Clinical Sequencing
Clinical Sequencing
Clinical Sequencing
Findings Previous online
learning experience. Demonstrated
computer literacy. Onsite orientation. Sufficient time. Positive feedback on
IT support. #1: Instructor support.
21 graduates.◦ Attrition rate: 0%Therefore…
◦ Employment: 100% Student satisfaction.
◦ 100% of respondents would recommend this approach to peers.
◦ 70% felt the length of time was sufficient. Most respondents wanted longer clinical education,
not theory. High academic performance.
◦ 88.8% average.
Results
1. Expensive!
2. Complicated.
a. Organization.
b. Responsibilities.
3. IT support.
4. Program support.
5. Selective screening.
Lessons Learned
Not an effective long-term strategy. Expensive to deliver.
◦ Salary replacement◦ Instructor time intensive
Funding was provided for an annual increase in programming.
Long-term projections of need.◦ Retirement◦ Maternity leave◦ Internal “churn”
Awards/Recognitions◦ SAHO Green Ribbon◦ SHEA finalist
Outcome
Special Thanks
Drivers or emerging trends effect educational design.◦ Practice◦ Environment◦ Need◦ Technology◦ etc
Establishing Perioperative Nursing Programs
There is continual changes in the clinical practice environment.
Ie. Incremental changes Transformational changes
Practice
Incremental Change
Transformational Change
Institutional policies reflect this approach.◦ Minor Revision◦ Major Revision
Funding for change reflect policies.
Opportunities…
Change
Many changes can occur in the educational environment.
Ie. Leadership Physical location Culture Advances/changes
Environment
A range of events or circumstances can effect the need for change in education.
The “need” identified in this project.◦ Ministry direction effecting increased graduation
rates.
Need
The INTERNET.◦ Mainstream◦ Shapes our daily lives (ie. Texting, calendars,
mobile maps, etc)◦ Distributed learning◦ Massive Online Open Courses (ie. edX)◦ Mobile learning
Applications (Apps)
Technology
http://programs.siast.sk.ca/instrumentor/
Instrumentor tm
Mobile TSUNAMI. Students all have smart-phones.
◦ Integrated into daily lifeTotal Active Apps (currently available for download): 845,911 Total Inactive Apps (no longer available for download): 300,040Total Apps Seen in US App Store: 1,145,951Number of Active Publishers in the US App Store: 226,514
Mobile Learning
Most Popular Categories1 - Games (142,136 active)2 - Education (90,861 active)3 - Entertainment (75,655 active)4 - Lifestyle (68,963 active)5 – Books (55,823 active)
Mobile Learning
Instrumentor tm
Instrumentor tm
Instrumentor tm
Web based Application. Portable and compatible with multiple
devices. ◦ Ie. Desktop, laptop, tablet, smart-phones, etc
Next step in the “evolution” of distance education.
Students are familiar with using Smart-phones.
Prototype stage- testing with end-users◦ Ie. Students, health professionals, etc
Instrumentor tm
Features: Canadian Content High resolution images Close-up images of instruments Laparoscopic instruments
◦ Types◦ Assembly
Audio pronunciation Authentic presentation
Instrumentor tm
Instrumentor tm
Design: End user focus.
◦ Need vs Directed◦ Grass-roots vs Top-down
Authentic presentation.◦ Images, backgrounds, etc◦ Audio pronunciation◦ Minimized information overload
Self-assessment of learning.◦ Matched assessment to level of learning
Instrumentor tm
Innovative educational approach.
Responding to expressed need.◦ Ie. Out-dated and poor resolution images
Dynamic resource.◦ Updated images- 3D◦ Video◦ Additional graphics
Instrumentor tm
Instrumentor tm
Education is never static.
There will be continuous drivers for change.◦ Incremental or transformational
Open and Mobile education is here to stay.
The focus of any educational program needs to be on meeting the needs of learners.
Conclusion
Thank you!!
Questions, Comments, Discussion
