Smalls cogs win big award
The trust has won a national award for delivering vital training to frontline staff during the pandemic.
The learning and organisational development team played a key role in supporting the workforce including the transfer and training of staff from other nursing specialisms into critical care along with the redeployment and training of Allied Health Professionals.
Thousands of staff benefited from Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) sessions, while more than 400 were given additional training to work in the trust’s hard-pressed critical and intensive care units.
Face-to-face training was delivered in PPE and the widespread use of e-learning platforms social media and video conferencing completely modernised how the trust delivered staff training.
Sharin Baldwin, Clinical Academic Lead for LNWH, said: “People’s willingness to get stuck in was extraordinary but we still had a duty to ensure they were safe and properly trained to help out in areas like critical and intensive care.
“It was a learning curve but with the support of the Specialist Nurses and Practice Development Nurses we adapted, delivered and improved upon a huge educational programme ranging from non-invasive ventilation and testing for FFP3 masks to core training for venepuncture and administration of intravenous drugs.
“Our overarching belief was the importance of a small cog in a big wheel and the fact that everyone has a role to play from cleaning staff to consultants. It was a huge team effort that pulled us through and people should feel rightly proud of that.”
Goretti Dowdican-McAndrew, Head of Multi-professional Development for LNWH, added: “The award demonstrates how each person plays a vital role in supporting the delivery of safe patient care”
The trust won the Best Workforce for Learning and Development Category at the Nursing Times Workforce Awards and was finalist in a further two categories for Preceptorship of the Year and Best Wellbeing and Staff Engagement initiative
An extraordinary achievement that matched an equally extraordinary year.