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Showing results for tags 'Staff factors'.
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Content Article
Association for Anaesthetists: Tips for night shifts
Claire Cox posted an article in Motivating staff
The Association for Anaesthetists have produced some 'top tips' for night shift workers. What tips do you have to keep you feeling well overnight? -
Content ArticleHuman factors are of pivotal importance to both patient safety and doctors’ wellbeing, says Peter Brennan and Tista Chakravarty-Gannon in this BMJ Opinion article. In this article they highlight what the General Medical Council (GMC) and other organisations are doing to support doctors to deliver good care for their patients through educational and support programmes, including the GMC’s new Professional Behaviours and Patient Safety Programmes (PBPS) being piloted across the UK. These programmes are designed to help improve doctors’ skills and confidence in addressing unprofessional behaviours. These initiatives should reduce medical error, improve patient safety and professional welfare, as well as enhancing team working.
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Content ArticleThis review explores the experiences of international nurses recently recruited to the UK nursing workforce (1995–2007) and the implications for retention. Five main themes emerged from the review: motivation for migration, adapting to British nursing, experiences of first world healthcare, feeling devalued and deskilled, and vectors of racial discrimination. Although some positive experiences are described, significant numbers of nurses describe not feeling personally or professionally valued by the UK nursing establishment, common emotions expressed are disappointment and unmet expectations. This will have implications for job satisfaction and intention to leave or stay. If overseas nurses choose to leave the UK in large numbers, the health services could face a severe staffing shortage. It is important that we listen carefully to their experiences to help identify priorities for policy and practice aimed at improving job satisfaction for migrant nurses and articulating the value that they bring to UK nursing.
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Content ArticleExpanding on his previous commentary 'What does all this safety stuff have to do with me', Dan Cohen, Patient Safety Learning's Trustee and former Chief Medical Officer at DATIX, has written this article for the hub on personal responsibility in patient safe care.
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Content ArticleA significant amount of professional time is wasted during a medical ward round retrieving patient notes from the ward trolley. If the efficiency of this non-clinical, non-functional interaction could be improved it would save time, maintain continuity and have financial implications. One identified constraint was the structure of the traditional ward trolley; a stationary filing tray with vertical sleeves. During ward round, time is spent returning and retrieving each patients notes from outside the patient bay and additional time may be wasted if the notes are misplaced or in use elsewhere. To resolve this, the ‘Vista 90’ trolley with horizontal, transparent trays, is portable and has an ergonomic writing surface was selected as a potential second generation replacement. An assessment of the impact of the Vista 90 trolley over the traditional trolley in the clinical setting was carried out on Erringham (medical) Ward, Worthing Hospital, West Sussex Hospital Trust, UK. This was by way of qualitative analysis performed by semi-structured interview of 12 doctors and other healthcare professionals who regularly interacted with the Vista 90 and traditional trolley in December 2012. The audit found that those interviewed preferred using the Vista 90 trolley over its predecessor as it improved the efficiency of the ward round and subsequent clinical work. It’s mobility allowed it to be easily transported with the ward round, reducing disruption during a consultation and between consecutives ones. The ergonomic writing surface was noted to improve legibility of documentation due to greater comfort and if placed appropriately, did not interfere with the doctor-patient interaction. The financial savings of this greater efficiency was found to be of significance and justify the cost of the Vista 90 within two weeks.
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News Article
NHS hospitals bring in sleep pods to help tired staff take a break
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Help is arriving for overworked NHS staff as a growing number of hospitals bring in sleep pods for doctors and nurses to grab power naps during their shifts. Pods have been installed or are being trialled by a dozen hospitals in England. Royal Wolverhampton NHS trust was the first to try them, in June 2018. “Too many staff end up exhausted because they have long, busy, sometimes stressful shifts, often with little chance to grab a break because pressure on the NHS is so intense,” said Prof Steve Field, the trust’s chair. “We know that doctors provide better, safer care when they are fresh and alert. We have found [the pods] to be very popular with staff and also very effective in helping them get more rest,” said Field, a former GP. Dr Mike Farquhar, a consultant in sleep medicine at the Evelina children’s hospital in London, who has persuaded NHS chiefs to take staff slumber more seriously, said hospitals were finally taking practical action. “Air traffic controllers are only allowed to work for two hours and then they must take a 30-minute break, because if they were tired and made a mistake, bad things could happen,” he said. “But in the NHS, where the pressure is often high and sustained, the problem is that the people delivering care will usually choose to prioritise everything else – especially patients – over themselves and sacrifice things like breaks and sleep.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 3 February 2020 -
Content ArticleIn this candid blog, 'The Secret Midwife', gives her account of the pressure and lack of resource and support that makes it so difficult to provide safe care.
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Content Article
Why I ‘walk on by’
Anonymous posted an article in Florence in the Machine
I recently read the blog on the hub ‘Walk on by...’ by a junior doctor. What a fantastic doctor, if only we had more of these people in our healthcare service. I wanted to respond to this blog by writing about my own experiences in ‘walking on by’. It’s been a difficult write as it has questioned my integrity, my motivation and my career.- Posted
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Content ArticleThis paper, published in BMC Public Health, reports the results of a qualitative study that explored UK healthcare worker's (HCW) views about working during an influenza pandemic, in order to identify factors that might influence their willingness and ability to work and to identify potential sources of any perceived duty on HCWs to work.
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Content ArticleIn his blog, Danny Tucker, Associate Professor in Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Director of Clinical Training, describes how clinicians experience two types of learning: firstly, incremental learning – they study new facts, medical knowledge and technical skills. Through incremental learning, individuals align habits with established norms, conform to ideals laid out by experts and reinforce existing power structures. Incremental learning involves the process of deliberate practice. Mezirow introduced the concept of transformative learning. This is a deeper, developmental shift, where situations and dilemmas challenge underlying assumptions and beliefs about the world. Clinicians grow through reflective engagement with their experiences, the people they meet - particularly patients - and by testing new mental models of how the world works. Transformative learning changes perspectives and relationships, laying the foundation for personal growth and innovation. It requires curiosity, attention, and courage. Danny offers practical steps that can be taken to encourage and inspire transformative learning for doctors in training.
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News Article
Warning over warring Great Ormond Street surgeons
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Warring between two surgeons at Great Ormond Street Hospital could put patients at risk, a review suggests. A board paper released by the leading children's hospital said a "fractured" relationship between two consultants in the paediatric surgical urology team was affecting the service last year. The London hospital said steps were being taken to resolve the problems. This has included mediation, mentoring and away days. The board paper from a meeting in November set out the findings of a two-day inspection by the Royal College of Surgeons last May. The college was invited in by the trust itself after reports of problems. The summary of the report said there were "significant difficulties" between two surgeons in the team. It described a "lack of trust and respect" which meant they did not work collaboratively and led to significant competition for work. If this continued it would have the "potential to affect patient care and safety" as well as longer waits for surgery, it said. The "dysfunction" between the two senior doctors caused problems for the wider team with evidence support staff had also been treated inappropriately. Great Ormond Street said it took the issue "extremely seriously" and good progress was being made. Read full story Source: BBC News, 15 January 2020 -
Content ArticleThe management of occupational health, safety and wellbeing is now central to the effective running of the NHS. There is strong evidence linking patient safety, patient experiences and the quality of care with the safety, health and wellbeing of the workforce. The Boorman review into the health and wellbeing of the NHS workforce clearly illustrates this link. However, looking after the health and wellbeing of staff is far more than supporting staff to develop health lifestyles: there is a legal duty to protect the health and safety of staff as detailed in the NHS Constitution. The NHS Staff Council’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Partnership Group (HSWPG) have developed these standards through national partnership working to support NHS organisations in meeting their legal duties to protect staff from injury and illness.
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Content ArticleFor eligible patients, prompt admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) can increase their chance of survival by up to 23%. Yet those that do survive may experience lasting physical and emotional effects, and it is the job of the clinician to carefully weigh up the potential gains and risks of admission in what is often a time-pressured environment. There are currently no national guidelines to help the decision-making process, and evidence suggests it is influenced by a range of factors, with considerable variation between clinicians. In addition, patients and their families are not always fully informed or consulted. This study, published by Health Services and Delivery Research, explored current practice in order to create a decision support tool that could be used to help take some of the uncertainty out of the process, thereby improving decisions and, when possible, also informing the discussions with the patient and their family.
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News Article
GP shortages cause 'unacceptable' patient waits
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Family doctors are under intense pressure and general practice is running on empty, warns the Royal College of GPs (RCGP). It says severe staff shortages are causing "unacceptable" delays for patients in England. In a letter to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, its chairman says ministers must take urgent action to deal with the lack of GPs. The government said it had recruited a "record number" of GP trainees. Ministers are committed to recruiting 6,000 more GPs in England by 2025. Prof Martin Marshall, who took over as RCGP chairman in November, says GPs are struggling with an escalating workload, which is causing many to burn out and leave the profession. Dr Andrew Dharman, who works at the The Avenue surgery in Ealing, said the stress has got worse because of the enormous workload placed on GPs. He said: "Sometimes it feels like you're drowning. You know you're trying to stay afloat and on top of all the workload. And you're trying to make sure you're providing the kind of care that you envisage when you go to medical school." "You feel frustrated sometimes that you can't necessarily do that because of the amount of work and patients." Read full story Source: BBC News, 9 January 2020 -
News Article
Health strike: RCN nurses in second day's strike
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
About 9,000 nurses across Northern Ireland have begun a 12-hour strike today in a second wave of protests over pay and staffing levels. More than 2,000 appointments and procedures have been cancelled, including a number of elective caesarean operations. The Health and Social Care Board said it expects "significant disruption" Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Director Pat Cullen told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme that nurses felt "bullied" by health officials. Her comments followed a warning by the heads of Northern Ireland's health trusts on Tuesday that this week's strikes could push the system "beyond tipping point". Valerie Thompson, a deputy ward sister at Londonderry's Altnagelvin Hospital, said concerns over safe staffing levels and pay parity had brought her to the picket line. "We need to have the proper amount of staff to care for our patients, give them the respects, dignity, care they deserve," she said. "We are a loyal workforce; we get on with it, and rally around. But it is difficult. We miss breaks, go home late, staff are just exhausted." Read full story Source: BBC new, 8 January 2020 -
Content ArticleThe Committee of Inquiry was set up in 1967 by the Welsh Hospital Board at the request of the Minister of Health, to investigate allegations of ill-treatment of patients and of pilfering by staff which had been made by a nursing assistant employed at the hospital. The Committee was also asked to make their own examination of the situation in the hospital at the time of their inquiry.
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Content ArticleIt’s time to think more radically about the way we plan the healthcare workforce, says Alison Leary, professor of healthcare and workforce modelling at London South Bank University and the University of South Eastern Norway, in this BMJ Opinion article.
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Content Article
Civility Saves Lives
PatientSafetyLearning Team posted an article in Good practice
Civility Saves Lives are a collective voice for the importance of respect, professional courtesy and valuing each other. They aim to raise awareness of the negative impact that rudeness (incivility) can have in healthcare, so that we can understand the impact of our behaviours. Their goal is to disseminate the science of the impact of incivility in healthcare. They also strive to research and collaborate on data about the impact of incivility. -
Content ArticleThe Magnet Recognition Program designates organisations worldwide where nursing leaders successfully align their nursing strategic goals to improve the organisation's patient outcomes. The Magnet Recognition Program provides a road map to nursing excellence. Research has documented an association between hospitals with Magnet recognition and better outcomes for nurses and patients. However, little longitudinal evidence exists to support a causal link between Magnet recognition and outcomes. This study compares changes over time in surgical patient outcomes, nurse-reported quality, and nurse outcomes in a sample of hospitals that attained Magnet recognition between 1999 and 2007 with hospitals that remained non-Magnet.
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Content ArticleMike Robbins is an expert in teamwork, leadership, and emotional intelligence who delivers keynote addresses to audiences throughout the world. In this talk at TEDxBellevue, Mike talks about the power of appreciation. As Mike discusses, there is an important distinction between 'recognition' and 'appreciation'. Leaders, teams, organisations and individuals who understand this distinction can have much more impact, meaning, and productivity in their lives and with the people around them. He also discusses some important research in the field of positive psychology that exemplifies the importance of appreciation.
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Content ArticleInformation overload can be defined as a difficulty a person can have in comprehending issue and making judgments that are caused by the presence of too much information. Information overload occurs when the amount of input to a system surpasses its processing capability. Decision-makers have a limited cognitive processing ability. Consequently, when information overload happens, it is possible that a decline in decision quality will take place. Decision-makers, such as medical consultants, have fairly limited cognitive processing capacity. Consequently, when information overload occurs, it is likely that a reduction in decision quality will occur. The aim of this study, originally published by the Journal of Biosciences and Medicines, is to assess the impact of information overload on medical consultants’ life, its causes, and potential ways to deal with it.
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Content ArticleIn this presentation on improving patient safety and reducing alarm fatigue, the panellists discuss the right and wrong way to use continuous surveillance monitoring.
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Content ArticleWhen the Harvard Business Review (HBR) asked Robert Sutton for suggestions for its annual list of Breakthrough Ideas, he told them that the best business practice he knew of was 'the no asshole rule'. Sutton's piece became one of the most popular articles ever to appear in the HBR. Spurred on by the fear and despair that people expressed and the tricks they used to survive with dignity, Sutton was persuaded to write this book. He believes passionately that civilised workplaces are not a naive dream, that they do exist, do bolster performance and that widespread contempt can be erased and replaced with mutual respect when a team or organisation is managed right. There is a huge temptation by executives and those in positions of authority to overlook this trait especially when exhibited by so-called producers, but Sutton shows how overall productivity suffers when the workplace is subjected to this kind of stress.
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Content ArticleIncivility chips away at people, organisations, and our economy. Slights, insensitivities, and rude behaviors can cut deeply. Moreover, incivility hijacks focus. Even if people want to perform well, they can't. Customers too are less likely to buy from a company with an employee who is perceived as rude. In this book, Christine Porath shows how people can enhance their influence and effectiveness with civility. Combining scientific research with fascinating evidence from popular culture and fields such as neuroscience, medicine, and psychology, this book reminds managers and employers what they can do right now to improve the quality of their workplaces.
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News Article
Safety fears for hundreds of ‘hidden’ children on ventilators
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Experts have warned hundreds of “hidden” children who rely on machines to help them breathe at home are at significant risk of harm due to staff shortages, poor equipment and a lack of training. The number of children who rely on long-term ventilation is rising but new research has shown the dangers they face with more than 220 safety incidents reported to the NHS between 2013 and 2017. In more than 40% of incidents the child came to harm, with two needing CPR after their hearts stopped. Other children had to have emergency treatment or were rushed back to hospital. Many parents reported concerns with the skills of staff looking after their children or reported paid carers falling asleep while caring for their child. Families reported having to cover multiple night shifts due to staff shortages, while also having to care for their child during the day. Other patient safety incidents including broken or faulty equipment or information on packaging that did not match the item or incorrect equipment being delivered. Consultant Emily Harrop, who led the study, said it was “easy for the plight of individual complex children to slip down the agenda”. She warned: “This is a very hidden group of very vulnerable children who are at risk without investment in staffing, access to training and good communication." Read full story Source: The Independent, 18 December 2019
