External training offered to support healthcare workers in their roles

We can’t emphasise enough how critically important high-quality training is.

It can be the difference between home, community or hospital care at a time when hospitals are under extreme pressure.

Our staff who are caring for our complex care service users are trained to the highest standards in a range of clinical skills and we’re now offering that training externally, to care home staff, individual carers, personal assistants and clinical leads.

The theory element behind each training course can be taught in groups, while competencies for each area of care are assessed on a one-to-one basis with questions asked and observations carried out by our Clinical Lead, Amanda Lambert.

Amanda delivers sessions in our dedicated training suite at our Hull headquarters and within care homes or the care setting or environment in which the individuals work.

She is a Registered Nurse with 30 years post-registration experience. She also worked as a Clinical Services Manager in private healthcare and as a Senior Sister for 10 years within the acute trust before this.

Amanda has experience in head and neck, ear, nose and throat (ENT), breast surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, urology, haematology research, breast services and medicine from her roles within the acute setting.

Amanda’s training follows NHS guidance and recommendations from recognised professional nursing and healthcare bodies, which ultimately provides a unified approach to training for carers.

Our standards are exceptionally high and we follow Care Quality Commission (CQC) compliance and national policy.

Here’s a breakdown of the training we offer internally and externally:

• Bowel care – This course helps carers to understand the anatomy of the bowel, how to administer rectal preparations and perform manual evacuation as well as the risks and side effects.
• Diabetes – We look at what Diabetes is and how it affects the body, symptoms, blood sugar parameters, how to carry out blood glucose tests, medication and diet. We also cover medical emergencies and long-term effects.
• Eating disorders – We offer a presentation on eating disorders including anorexia and pica, which sees individuals crave and eat non-food items.
• Enteral feeding, or tube feeding – This presentation covers why tube feeding is needed, safe use, care and management, different methods of tube feeding, skin care, troubleshooting and what to do if the tube blocks or falls out.
• Epilepsy – Carers are taught what epilepsy is, how it’s treated, first aid, how to recognise an emergency situation and how to give rescue medication.
• Medical devices – This training covers ventilators, suction, nebulisers, cough assist devices and more. We look at the physiology behind why and how the devices are used, maintained and cleaned.
• Medication – This course covers administration and classification of drugs, legalities, consent and capacity around medication, what to do if the service user does not have capacity, dos and don’ts around medication administration. It also includes reporting errors, documentation, medication storage, types of medication, GDPR and an assessment of knowledge.
• Nebulisation – Here we look at how the respiratory system works, what a nebuliser is and what drugs can be administered, as well as care and management of the device.
• NEWS and PEWS – The National Early Warning Score (NEWS) for adults and the Paediatric Early Warning Score (PEWS) for children and young people is a tool calculated from observations. This provides a score which determines how well or unwell a person is and recognises early deterioration. This training helps carers to act accordingly and know who to contact to ensure the service user receives the right care, at the right time, in the right place.
• Oral health – We teach carers how to recognise good and bad oral hygiene and how to provide oral care.
• Oxygen – This has to be prescribed, so we look at the safe delivery and storage of oxygen therapy. We show carers different methods of delivery and care of these devices while also looking at fire risks. The CQC requires all carers to be trained in oxygen therapy and pulse oximeters, which measure oxygen levels. We also train carers to recognise respiratory distress.
• Sepsis – This session is about recognising the signs of sepsis early and how it is treated. If it can be spotted and treated early, it can prevent hospital admissions and potentially save lives.
• Tracheostomy care – Learn more about airway management, care and management of tracheostomies, changing the tube as well as open and closed suction. Staff are trained in how to recognise and manage an airway emergency.
• Urinary system/catheter care – This covers the anatomy of the urinary system, issues leading to placement of a catheter, and the care involved including how to reduce complications associated with catheter placement. Staff are also taught how to pass an intermittent catheter as a method of reducing the need for a long-term catheter.

This level of training in the community can make all the difference and all of our sessions meet current guidance.

Service users naturally want to stay at home or in their care environment, rather than in hospital, whenever possible. If we can support the healthcare system by equipping carers and other staff with these skills, it can only be positive.

• For more information about external training, costs and availability, call Caitlin Sacre, our Registered Manager, on 07470 995048 or email caitlin@mycaring.co.uk