Page 17 - QARANC Vol 16 No 2 2018

Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. On the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), patients have been provided with videos of real scenery locations, which helped them to recover more quickly when compared to those who do not have access to this facility on the ICU. Colleagues in Canada are trialing this technology in deployments in sparse, isolated locations, for example, in Arctic survey stations where individuals are deployed over a long period of time. This is used to test the benefits for an individual’s mental health. Simulation is quickly becoming the lead in clinical education; you will have rarely completed a course without using some form of simulation. With these advances made by Professor Stone and his team, simulation will become easier, cheaper and provide much more realistic training before you even touch a patient.
The next presentation was from two nursing preceptorship groups from Defence Medical Group South. They introduced the Quality Improvement Projects (QIPs) that they have worked on during their preceptorship as newly qualified nurses. The first group focused of the recognition of sepsis and the second groups focused on ensuring patients are weighed in hospital. One member of the first group started by apologising as they felt they were ‘a fraud’ presenting their work at a research forum. Captain Spencer (QARNNS), head of the Royal Navy Nursing Service, quickly rebutted this, his main message was research takes place at all levels. QIPs are important components of hospital operations. They are data-driven and involve human- participants. This can provide good understanding on subjects, where further research may be required.
We then had the opportunity to network with members of the forum during a working lunch, which was kindly funded by the QARANC Association with equal contributions by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. This was of great benefit to be able to discuss ideas on research projects, to hear what
other professionals are concentrating on in their own fields and to engage with members across the DMS. The first speaker of the afternoon, a civilian ward sister from DMRC Headley Court, presented the Northwick Park Dependency Score (NPDS). The Northwick Park Dependency Score is an ordinal scale that can be used to assess impact on nursing time. It takes 3-5 minutes to complete. This has been beneficial in assessing safe staffing levels and nursing hours required for low to high dependency scores in a rehabilitation setting like DMRC Headley Court.
Lieutenant Colonel Lizzy Bernthal, a senior research fellow, presented the forum with advice for writing for publication and asked the question, why do we publish? There are many reasons why we should all publish our research, to change practice, to challenge practice, to improve patient care, and to stimulate new ideas for practice. Lieutenant Colonel Bernthal stressed that it is important for all personnel to consider their work for publication, in order to share best practice and to challenge current ideas and practice. There are also opportunities to present at conferences and present your work as a poster. All publications must receive military clearance. The ADMN team are willing to deliver writing workshops to units.
The research forum is aimed at all ranks and anyone who wants to change or improve practice in their current field. The next forum is being held on 10 October 2018 and will be promulgated in due course. Updates will also be provided on @Def_ADMN. Please speak to your research lead at your unit if you are interested in attending or how you can get involved. Research is for everyone and it should form part of your normal working practice.
Lieutenant Jack Potter Twitter @Jack_R_Potter
The South Tees NHS Foundation Trust (STNHSFT) Nightingale Awards is an annual event that celebrates outstanding contributions to patient care delivered by nursing staff. Any ODP, nurse, midwife, healthcare assistant (HCA) or student can be nominated for being extraordinary, and nominations are made by patients, relatives and staff members. Staff are scored against criteria of leadership, innovation, communication, excellence in care, empathy, safety quality and evidence- based practice.
The day was set out like a conference, with guest speakers covering topics such as NHS retention strategies and trust-wide initiatives. Amongst the formal talks, we also had inspirational speakers, talking about their own experiences of exceptional nursing care. This included a neonatal nurse who was herself a neonatal patient in
James Cook University Hospital twenty years ago and a mother who had lost her daughter after a fearsome battle with cancer. These stories highlighted the pivotal role nurses play in the care that patients and relatives received, helping to make the worst time somehow a bearable time.
The Cardiology Nurse Consultants had prepared a hilarious video highlighting the change of nursing uniform through the ages from the 1940s to present day which was much needed after such emotional presentations. Sergeant Sinclair, Corporals Lyon and Young and I delivered a presentation on military nursing history from Florence Nightingale to Afghanistan which was well received. This was followed by the paediatric team showing a video of their patients’ response to being asked what they thought of nurses, unfortunately with varying responses!
Military staff can be nominated for the Trust Awards, as well as the Military Nightingale Award. Sergeant Sinclair, Corporals Lyon and Young, Lance Corporals Kendal-Lowther and Cassel and I all received nominations for our efforts in the Trust over the last year. Sergeant Sinclair was awarded the overall South Tees NHS Foundation Trust Band 6 Sister award for her outstanding contribution to the establishment and running of Ward 10. I was awarded the Military Nightingale Award for my involvement with the Trust Clinical Education Team, and for pushing to make the Emergency Department a normal rotation for Military HCAs.
Congratulations to the 204 nominees for their on-going commitment to exceptional care.
Lance Corporal Lee McConnell
THE GAZETTE QARANC 15
South Tees NHS Foundation Trust Nightingale Awards 2018