Newsletter – October 2013
Website: www.nhet-sim.edu.au
Telephone: 03 9905 0221
____________________________________________________________________________________
Welcome to the October edition of the
National Health Education and Training
in Simulation (NHET-Sim) Program:
Debra Nestel - Monash Team Lead
It is fantastic news
that Health
Workforce
Australia has
extended the
NHET-Sim program
to June 2014. We
are very pleased
that interest in the
Program and
requests to host NHET-Sim workshops has
increased since SimHealth.
Program Snapshot as at October 10th
Registrations
3,153
Completions
1406
Workshops held
131
Active faculty
112
This Month’s Profile:
In this month’s issue we profile Leigh
Parker, a Lecturer in Paramedic Practice
from the University of Tasmania. Leigh
was ‘homesick’ for simulation and talks
about her renewed interest in simulation
since attending the workshops. It is also
interesting to read Jan Roche’s profile as
a facilitator of the Program. Jan found
the Program a “wonderful means of
establishing a common simulation
language and understanding for future
benchmarking”.
SimHealth conference:
We were pleased to see many of the
NHET-Sim alumni and faculty at the
recent SimHealth conference in
Brisbane. The conference provided a
wonderful opportunity to showcase the
Program to new participants and
enabled many clinicians and simulation
educators to discuss the Program. If you
are looking for ideas on how to keep the
momentum in your workplace going
after completing NHET-Sim, I encourage
you to read Rebecca Marley’s
commentary from the conference in
Section Two.
Lapel Pins:
Many NHET-Sim alumni and faculty
members visited our booth and
collected their NHET-Sim lapel pin. We
are working on distributing lapel pins to
those who have completed the
Program prior to the end of September
but if you want to ensure we have your
current mailing address please contact
the NHET-Sim office on 03 9905 0221 or
via email nhetsim@monash.edu.
NHET-Sim is now on Facebook:
The NHET-Sim program is now
on Facebook. If you are a Facebook
user please ‘like’ the NHET-Sim program
page and connect with alumni and
faculty. Some forthcoming workshops
will be posted on Facebook.
Best wishes,
Debra Nestel
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Newsletter – October 2013
Website: www.nhet-sim.edu.au
Telephone: 03 9905 0221
____________________________________________________________________________________
Section 2:
SimHealth 2013 highlights:
The Convenors of this year’s SimHealth
conference were two of our very own
NHET-Sim faculty, Stephanie O’Regan
(Convenor) and Julian van Dijk
(Scientific Convenor). Stephanie and
Julian did a fantastic job putting
together a scientific program that was
diverse and interesting to many
delegates. Many of the NHET-Sim
Executive and faculty members chaired
sessions, facilitated workshops or
contributed as panel members at
SimHealth.
SimHealth
delegate
Rebecca Marley
outlined at the
conference how
the NHET-Sim
Program had
been
instrumental in
her new role as Clinical Skills Laboratory
Coordinator at the University of
Newcastle in Taree. Rebecca attended
the Simulated Patients session and here
is a commentary of what she spoke
about at the conference:
“I would never have predicted the
impact of NHET-Sim in my area. The first
2-day course was attended mainly by
hospital educators, and some university
lecturers. There was a lot of enthusiasm
for simulation as a learning tool. I was
really excited that these people got it!
NHET-Sim had suddenly created a new
community within the hospital. Many
educators discovered they had been
using simulation as a teaching tool, but
were unaware of the power or potential
of it. They now had the skills to use
simulation purposefully, planned,
performed and evaluated. NHET-Sim
provided the language to
communicate both with me and each
other about a territory previously
unexplored. This was education there
was no precedent for.
To keep this momentum going, I
organised a ‘Get to Know your Manikin’
session. Educators throughout the
hospital brought manikins and task
trainers to a communal area. We got to
know each piece of equipment and a
consensus was formed that we should
be pooling our resources. A register has
since been created of all simulation
equipment within the hospital.
The education committee has
requested, and been granted, the first
maintenance service in 15 years of their
high-tech manikins and agreed to
purchase a SimPad. The General
Manager has supported the creation of
a Simulation Room to be accessed by
all health professionals for continuing
education.
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Newsletter – October 2013
Website: www.nhet-sim.edu.au
Telephone: 03 9905 0221
____________________________________________________________________________________
A large part of my role is to support
education for undergraduate health
students by using simulation and skills
training. Another part of my role is to
support continuing professional
development of local health
professionals, both in the hospital and in
the community.
I have experienced a slow growing
relationship with hospital professionals
(several years). Since facilitating my first
NHET-Sim course I have been invited to
review and edit scenarios, brainstorm
ideas about potential scenarios,
contribute to debriefings, and offer
advice on education. Some of the
scenarios created include
interdepartmental simulations. There is
discussion between the Surgical Ward
and Operating Theatre about creating
a deteriorating patient that requires
urgent theatre. One scenario I reviewed
is a patient who receives thrombolysis in
Emergency and deteriorates during
transfer to Coronary Care/ICU.
NHET-Sim has provided the platform for
members from different units to work
together, using a common language for
a common goal.
Since NHET-Sim I have also been invited
to the weekly education meetings to
contribute and create ways of working
together to enhance the local health
service education and skills.
NHET-Sim has done in eight weeks what I
had been trying to achieve over the last
several years. Yes, you read it correctly8 weeks!
NHET-Sim has created a new
community, inter-ward and inter-hospital
conversations and provided a common
language for us. It has supported our
university-health service collaboration
and given us tool to use to enhance
education of local health professionals.”
Rebecca Marley Clinical Skills and
Simulation Co-ordinator, Manning
Clinical School, University of Newcastle,
Taree NSW.
The SimHealth conference proceedings
including abstracts can be found on the
SimHealth website:
http://simhealth.com.au/
Prevocational Medical Education Forum
post conference NHET-Sim workshop:
South Australian Medical Education and
Training (SA MET) is hosting the 18th
National Prevocational Medical
Education Forum from 3-6 November
2013 at the Adelaide Convention
Centre. This year's forum theme is
"Building the Future: Quality, Capacity,
Creativity". On Thursday November 7th
the NHET-Sim C2 workshop “Being a
simulation educator” will be held at
Flinders University, Sturt Road Campus,
Adelaide. If you are interested in
attending this workshop, please register
using the online form available on our
website. http://www.nhet-sim.edu.au/
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Newsletter – October 2013
Website: www.nhet-sim.edu.au
Telephone: 03 9905 0221
____________________________________________________________________________________
Section 3:
Participant Spotlight: In this issue we
spotlight Leigh Parker:
Leigh is a Lecturer
in Paramedic
Practice, School of
Medicine at the
University of
Tasmania in Hobart.
Workshop: Australian Nursing Federation
(ANF) Hobart workshops: 14th & 15th
August 2013
Workshop Facilitator: Jenny Doyle
For a few years now I have been
‘homesick’ for simulation. Once upon a
time I was part of a two-person team
that designed and oversaw the
construction, equipping and running of
a simulation suite that functioned
incredibly well. That was two jobs ago
and before my move to Hobart in April
2012. Shortly after my arrival I was given
the opportunity to participate in NHETSim. I have enjoyed the online
component of the NHET-Sim
programme; it’s well constructed and
supported by good literature,
nevertheless there is something
incredibly valuable about sitting down
with others, who share an interest and
just ‘talking-the-talk’.
On a tour of the workshop facilities we
visited the simulation suite, from first
stepping through that door I knew I
wanted to once again experience the
thrill of running a scenario in a high
fidelity and high technology suite. A
true workshop highlight was the chance
to sit in a control booth, run a simulator
and experience the unfolding of the
scenario that the team planned.
The lesson I take away is the reminder
that planning is important. What are the
intended learning outcomes? Do the
students have sufficient knowledge and
skills for the scenario to work and, if
running an inter-professional scenario,
have we approached the planning from
the perspective of all the learners?
After the two days I was inspired to finish
working through the online components
of the course completing a program
that (I confess) I signed onto a little while
ago. If you want inspiration, motivation
or a reminder that you love simulation
then a tried and true workshop is a really
great place to start.
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Newsletter – October 2013
Website: www.nhet-sim.edu.au
Telephone: 03 9905 0221
____________________________________________________________________________________
Section 4:
Faculty Spotlight: In this issue we
spotlight Jan Roche:
Jan is the Simulation
Director,
Chameleon, School
of Medicine and
Public Health, at the
University of
Newcastle. Located
on the John Hunter
Hospital Campus, in
the Clinical Skills
Training Facility, Chameleon is a
purpose built SLE facility offering courses
related to the undergraduate medical
program and interprofessional learning.
Simulation has had an important role in
developing the skills of health students
for many years. My involvement with
high technology simulation commenced
over eight years ago. In my latest role, I
have had the privilege of establishing a
new unit as a part of the full Joint
Medical Program (JMP), an expansion of
the highly successful University of
Newcastle Bachelor of Medicine
program. The JMP is a unique
partnership between the University of
Newcastle, the University of New
England, Hunter New England and
Central Coast Local Health Districts. This
program recognises that the best type
of learning is practical and simulation
plays a key role in the program.
responsibility we have to ensure each
student is prepared for clinical practice.
Simulated education is a wonderful
learning modality. Witnessing the “lights
turn on” and the increase in student
desire to learn is a most rewarding
experience.
Chameleon offers facilities and expertise
to create realistic health scenarios by
using a blend of high tech manikins,
simulated patients, medical equipment,
expert staff, innovation and “fun
learning”.
As a facilitator in the NHET-Sim program I
have enjoyed meeting new simulation
folk who share this passion. The program
has been a wonderful means of
establishing a common simulation
language and understanding for future
benchmarking. I have met the
wonderful people from Townsville,
Tamworth, Taree, Launceston and of
course Newcastle through co-facilitation
of the C2, S2, S4, S5 and S6 workshops.
I have found every workshop a
wonderful mix of collaboration,
networking, learning and practice. The
NHET-Sim program has been such a
positive step in the direction of shared
goals, teaching and learning. Should
you do this course? Of course!
As a health professional with RN, ICU,
OH&S, academic and research
background, I truly appreciate the
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Newsletter – October 2013
Website: www.nhet-sim.edu.au
Telephone: 03 9905 0221
____________________________________________________________________________________
Section 5:
Some forthcoming NHET-Sim Workshops:
Mid Oct/Nov 2013:
22nd Oct - Charles Sturt University,
Bathurst, NSW
25th Oct - CUCRH - Geraldton, WA
28th & 29th Oct – Monash Simulation,
Bentleigh, VIC
28th & 29th Oct- Rural HETI Orange, NSW
29th & 30th Oct- Alice Springs Hospital, NT
29th& 30th Oct- Flinders University Sturt, SA
29th & 30th Oct- Monash Uni, Berwick VIC
30th & 31st Oct- University of Technology,
Sydney, NSW
6th Nov – Eastern Health, Box Hill, VIC
7th, 11th & 12th Nov - UNSW MEDiSIM Port
Macquarie, NSW
6th Nov – Eastern Health, Box Hill, VIC
11 & 12th Nov- Rural HETI, Goulburn, NSW
26th Nov – Australian Catholic University,
Fitzroy, VIC
For a full list of workshops visit the NHETSim website and click on the calendar.
Bookings are essential.
Hosting a NHET-Sim Workshop:
If you wish to explore the possibility of
hosting a workshop or perhaps holding
another workshop at your facility, please
contact Robyn Eames on 03 9905 0221
to inquire about arranging a workshop.
If you would like to include your profile in
the NHET-Sim newsletter as a participant
or faculty of the Program, please email
Andrea Coulsell at
andrea.coulsell@monash.edu.
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