The solution provides more than 3,000 healthcare professionals - medical students, healthcare students, qualified staff and healthcare assistants - access to training modules covering an extensive range of practical and communication skills. Each skill module consists of an overview, equipment listing, demonstration video or animation, competency checklist and self-test option. Once completed, competency then requires sign off in practice.
"Elsevier Clinical Skills not only supplements our existing training programme, but also creates an ethos whereby learning becomes something that happens continuously in the workplace," said Val Dimmock, Simulation and Clinical Skills Facilitator at Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. "Whether staff are returning to work after a period of time or simply need to refresh or add to their skills, they now have easily accessible, interactive, learning modules on the ward to meet immediate patient needs."
In addition, clinical skills leads, trainers and ward managers have the ability to assign skills to specific user groups, track usage and analyse results. Meanwhile the tool's customisable functionality means that existing skills can be modified by administrators in line with specific training goals or to support staff and organisational needs such as CQUIN targets or local trust policies.
"Our organisation is becoming increasingly paperless, so moving training out of the classroom and onto the ward not only provides benefits for staff who need a more practical approach but is also in line with our vision of becoming a more modern hospital," Val Dimmock said. "At an institution level, this tool offers the opportunity to improve clinical governance through the ability to rollout trust-wide education programs, whilst the ability to track training contribues to compliance and CQC requirements for both soft and hard intelligence and data."
The trust expects to see a significant return on investment as a result of a fewer face-to-face training hours and improved staff productivity. "For patients, the benefit is simply safer, higher quality care from a competent and confident workforce," Val Dimmock said.
"Having previously worked in the NHS for 20 years, I am confident that Elsevier Clinical Skills is a unique product in supporting training delivery, outcome evaluation and compliance in a single, customisable solution,” said Clare Green, e-Product Manager, Elsevier. "Homerton has a reputation for high standards in education and learning and this partnership should enable their strategic objectives of high quality service provision alongside continuous staff and organisational development."
About Homerton University NHS Foundation Trust
Homerton is an innovative and friendly Foundation Trust based in the east London Borough of Hackney. The Trust provides general hospital and community services to Hackney and the City of London, and specialist care in obstetrics, neonatology, fetal medicine, fertility, bariatric surgery and neurorehabilitation across east London and beyond.
About Elsevier
Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier’s online solutions include ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciVal, Reaxys, ClinicalKey and Mosby's Suite, which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, helping research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.
A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC, a world leading provider of professional information solutions in the Science, Medical, Legal and Risk and Business sectors, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).