Ideal in the news
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IT Training
Spring 2010
Trainer to trainer - on the ground by Christine Dorman, Ideal
How do you manage a group that is self-learning in a workshop environment?
Self-learning in workshops had been proven to produce effective and long-term results as well as being a great deal of fun. I have found that the self-learning workshop method is an easier way to effectively teach a group of users, including those of mixed abilities.
Allowing users to learn in their own individual way is the key to success when it comes to self-learning in a workshop. there are various types of intellectual ability and some of the more relevant ones for adult learning in IT are:
- linguistic intelligence
- logical-mathematical intelligence
- spatial intelligence
- bodily-kinesthetic intelligence
- interpersonal intelligence
The above types of intelligence can be used to extrapolate the different learning styles from the users in the following way:
- explain why certain skills are taught
- task-orientated instead of memorising - tasks should be common tasks, used in their everyday job
- acknowledge different learning levels and experience ie pairing users into groups with a mixture of weak and strong candidates; this will promote independent learning, confidence and understanding
- allow adults to learn from their mistakes - mistake driven learning helps users to try things out without thinking they will cause any damage or delete files, hence promoting confidence in the user to play around with the system
Hopefully this brief overview has given you food for thought. Generally a combination of both conventional and self learning strategies in workshops will produce the required results quickly and efficiently.
IT Training
November 2009
Hospitals go electronic
Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS Trusts in the UK, with around 12,000 staff working across multiple sites. Its major sites, Freeman Hospital, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle Dental Hospital, Newcastle Fertility Centre and Northern Genetics Service, contain some of the busiest departments, dealing with thousands of patients each year.
In 2008, the trust established a business case to change its administration system to eRecords, a bespoke applilcation developed by Cerner, a US based supplier of healthcare information technology. The aim of introducing this system was to improve the quality and safety of patient care, to modernise systems and processes, using IT, and to better control cost. In the process, two main areas, the patient and the medication administration systems, are being updated and centralised. While patient administration was mainly handled electronically before the ordering of tests and the prescription and administration of medicine was still paper based. Also, bed management was still dependent on staff collecting and reporting a bed state to find out where and how many empty beds there were.
To introduce the new system and provide the necessary training, Simon Holloway, then Education, Training and Development Manager at the trust contacted trainers from Ideal, a UK based health system service company with training experience in Cerner projects.
"Their trainers had an impressive track record in Cerner applications," explains Simon. Also with only ten staff in IT Training, the trust did not have the capacity to train several thousand people on the new system.
"We were the cavalry, if you will," says Richard Ayres, Regional Manager at Ideal. "Basically we were involved in supporting both training capacity and capability on the project."
"The cooperation with the contract trainers from Ideal was very positive", says Simon. "They worked really well with our trainers and were happy to follow our training scripts."
IT Training
Autumn 2009
Trainer to trainer - on the ground by Mark Lovatt, Ideal
What advice would you give on handling learners who aren't keeping up with the group?
Often trainers tend to try 'buddying' up a slow learner with a fast learner so they can concentrate on the rest of the group. If that still doesn't work they 'have a word' at tea-break, meaning they persuade them to leave the course and get individual help.
These approaches are reasonable, but not perfect as the impact on the group is not 100 per cent positive.
The priority for me is that all learners achieve the objectives of the session and fast learners achieve more. If someone is struggling to achieve all the objectives then my fall-back position is that they achieve as much as possible during the session without impacting the learning of the rest of the group.
How is this possible? Well I think you have to look at techniques for teaching a class of people with mixed ability, interest level and learning styles - that is every class you teach.
First you need to map the territory by assessing everyone in the class by getting them to talk to you about what their real needs are. Most people don't need much encouragement: just ask them about their job and what they think about using the computer. What they'd really like to be able to do soon comes out.
At the same time you need to assess their learning style - visual/verbal, big picture/detailed etc. - so you can keep their interest by presenting ideas in the best way for them.
So long as you keep communicationg with learners you can help them achieve and exceed their objectives.
Remember: every group is made up of individuals, so deal with their individual needs and they will all keep up.
bjhc & im
7 July 2009
Ideal's care information systems training modules approved by Connecting for Health
Ideal has received approval from NHS Connecting for Health for a further three modules from their Care Information Systems User Competencies and Qualifications (CIS UCQ) courses, submitted to Health Informatics Quality Scheme for learning and development (NHS HIQS) panel for consideration in May 2009.
Course modules provided by Ideal on Cerner Millennium, RiO and Choose and Book have been successfully assessed and recognised by the HIQS as meeting rigorous organisational quality standards set by the NHS.
This builds upon Ideal's successful application at the end of last year when they became the first commercial company in the UK, recognised by NHS Connecting for Health, to achieve HIQS recognistion. Ideal already has approval for course modules on PACS and Information Governance.
he recognition of these three additional midules reinforces Ideal's commitment to ensuring its approach to training and development is aligned to NHS standards and values.
Phil Mason, Programme Manager for Health Informatics Development with NHS Connecting for Health commented, "We are delighted that Ideal has built upon their entry stage of recognition and continues to demonstrate their commitment to providing and maintaining high organisational standards.
"We are particularly stringent in our assessment processes. Any organisation gaining HIQS recognition has successfully proved exceptionaly high quality standards of company processes, procedures and service. We look forward to continuing to work with Ideal as they seek recognition for more of their modules."
Andrew Raynes, Director of Education Quality and Accreditation at Ideal and former Head of Education Training and Development for the NHS Southern Programme for IT (SPfIT), commented, "We are in challenging but exciting times. We believe this recognition of our awards and qualification as part of the CIS UCQ will continue to develop interest and support for our courses and partnership programmes.
"There is a need for greater capability and capacity through widening participation in order to help the NHS realise the full benefits of technology enabled change and which provide new knowledge and skills to support much needed employment, workforce development and career opportunities in Health Informatics".
E-Health Insider
Special Report: education and training May 2008
Continuing professional development
In the world of NHS three letter acronyms, CPD is one that affects nearly everyone. It stands for continuing professional development and it is as relevant to IT professionals as it is to doctors and nurses.
But where doctors and nurses are well served with a vast array of courses and conferences – as well as professional structures that enable them to document and validate their learning experiences – NHS IT professionals have rather slimmer pickings.
There is room for optimism, though. The safety agenda that now dominates the NHS calls for increasing professionalism. CPD is one aspect of achieving that status and opportunities to get involved are growing ...
A degree is not for everyone, though. A different type of CPD is now being developed in the NHS with a commercial partner, Ideal Training. It works through the Care Information System User Competencies and Qualification (CIS UCQ); a competency-based learning programme developed by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement and designed to support staff as NHS Connecting for Health systems are rolled out.
Broadly, Ideal Training can accredit and/or deliver in-house training schemes for NHS organisations and suppliers. Staff who undertake these courses will gain not just recognized competencies but also credits that can contribute to national vocational qualifications and entry to more formal academic courses.
At one end of the spectrum are courses for NHS staff using NHS CfH systems. Importantly for NHS IT staff, Ideal is about to launch training programmes for those implementing new systems.
Stewart McKenzie, who leads Ideal’s Health Informatics Training Courses, says: “We are about to launch a whole suite of training that covers system implementation.
“At the top end of the scale we will be providing training and coaching around mentoring solutions around change in the NHS. We will also cover business process analysis, business planning, infrastructure, risk management, programme management and cascading training to users.”
It can be used either as a curriculum for an individual or for an organisation as a whole. Either way, it will be accredited through CIS.
bjhc&im
May 2008
Selecting and managing NHS trainers at Heatherwood & Wexham
On adopting new digital radiology systems, Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust identified a problem with training enough of its staff to use the new systems. The Trust selected Ideal Training to help role out a 'training cascade' programme whereby selected staff are trained as trainers, and then implement a full training programme of all staff who would use the systems, with minimum disruption to existing services. The Trust can now offer a high quality diagnostic imaging service and has the capability to support existing and new staff to use the systems.
Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the main acute hospital service provider for east Berkshire, giving its expanding population access to district general hospital and community services.
Radiology and diagnostic imaging are key parts of the service offered and are critical to the successful achievement of the government's 18-week waiting-time target.
The NHS National Programme for IT (NPfIT) is bringing modern computer systems into the NHS, including radiology and diagnostic imaging systems to dramatically reduce the time between diagnosis and treatment. It recently completed the installation of picture archive and communication system (PACS) at all trusts in England.
Heatherwood and Wexham decided to adopt the NPfIT-recommended solution for radiology and diagnostic imaging which consists of:
• GE Centricity picture archive and communication system (PACS);
• HSS Cris radiology information system (RIS); and
• Kodak DirectView computed radiography (CR).
The main change is that images are all digital and are viewed on a computer screen. The system is very reliable, removing the risk of lost hard-copy images and allowing images to be viewed instantaneously by any clinician involved in the patient's care.
RIS is used to manage patients, appointments and reports. PACS stores and retrieves large numbers of images permanently and reliably. CR converts images produced by a traditional x-ray machine to digital form using special cassettes which are read by a CR reader and then stored in PACS.
NPfIT delivers training to the majority of end users by means of a 'training cascade' where the system vendor trains trust staff who then train end users. The Trust identified two main issues with this approach:
• lack of qualified trainers in radiology; and
• risk of taking staff away from normal clinical duties to become trainers.
Priorities for service continuity
Ideal Training was asked to propose a realistic solution to the issues around cascade training. The main priority was to ensure that all staff received appropriate and effective training on the systems they would use. This could only be ensured by using trainers with the ability to communicate skills and assess the satisfactory progress of trainees.
Another key issue was to ensure that only a small percentage of department staff were used to deliver cascade training and that sufficient cover was maintained to continue to deliver the normal high quality of service that patients and doctors expect.
A further requirement was that the staff in the department would need to acquire and maintain a 'body of knowledge' about the new systems. This would give staff and managers the confidence to adopt the new systems with support from super users in a timely manner so that services could continue to be provided without interruption.
The solution
The Trust had already begun the process of identifying staff who might be suitable to deliver cascade training but their aptitude and suitability had not been established.
Ideal Training recommended that staff be assessed for suitability to become classroom trainers, or mentors and super users. It further recommended that staff identified as classroom trainers should be given training in how to deliver skills on the new systems to end-users.
The company recommended that its own trainers should be used in conjunction with Trust trainers to deliver training to end users. Ideal Training provides professional clinical trainers to deliver training on all the systems being installed at the Trust.
Assessing trainers
Training NHS staff to use new systems is a very challenging task and specific skills are required. Radiology staff have the clinical skills required to explain the new systems to their colleagues but have not had the experience of a major rollout such as this.
The assessment consisted of three stages: questionnaire to establish suitability; follow-up telephone call to clarify questionnaire responses; one-day classroom training-delivery assessment.
The process started with the basic requirement that staff who were to become trainers needed a number of key attributes: aptitude for training; motivation to become a trainer; training or mentoring experience; and understanding of IT. Any training qualification that staff had was also taken into account.
A questionnaire was designed for staff and the content agreed with managers at Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This was distributed to staff by managers at the Trust and responses were returned to Ideal Training. Questionnaires were then scored to make an initial assessment of the suitability of staff to become trainers.
Staff who were deemed to be suitable were then invited to a one-day practical classroom assessment where they were given some basic instruction and asked to prepare a short training session. Staff were assessed for their ability to perform the test and were scored against a set of criteria.
Training skills course
Staff who passed the classroom assessment attended a 2-day course covering all aspects of delivering training on radiology systems to NHS staff. This course included the following key sections:
• introduction to training in the NHS;
• the structure of a training session;
• the needs of learners;
• learning objectives;
• learning styles;
• large group dynamics;
• good communication with learners;
• feedback and interactivity;
• resistance to new systems;
• progress assessment;
• questioning styles;
• course materials;
• exercises and practical sessions; and
• the benefits of NPfIT.
Scores from each stage were compiled using numerical indicators, basing the assessment on objective criteria as far as possible.
Ideal Training staff met with Trust managers at the end of the training skills course to go through the results so that decisions could be made about which staff would become trainers, mentors and super users
Training end users
Ideal Training provided qualified HSS Cris and GE Centricity trainers to work alongside Trust staff to deliver end user training to all users of both systems. This enabled the training to be delivered efficiently and effectively so that the necessary skills were delivered to staff with the minimum amount of disruption to their normal duties.
The RIS and PACS trainers are clinically qualified radiographers, which means that they can communicate well with colleagues in the NHS and answer all questions, whether about the systems or how they are to be used in the radiology department.
The company's trainers worked alongside Trust trainers in the classroom to provide mentoring and backup to ensure that Trust trainers developed the confidence to deliver the material effectively. Trust managers were satisfied that appropriate steps had been taken to train staff to be competent to use the new systems correctly.
Ideal Training was able to offer contingency cover for Trust staff who were unable to deliver cascade training to end users because of unforeseen work requirements.
Benefits
Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust benefited significantly from the training, experience and expertise provided and was able to meet all its objectives:
• all staff were given appropriate training;
• staff can support existing and new colleagues to use the new systems; and
• a high quality diagnostic imaging service was maintained throughout implementation.
E-Health Insider
EHI’s industry news roundup 01.02.08
Ideal Training provide training for West Somerset Cerner Millennium deployment
Ideal Training has successfully supported a Cerner Millennium go-live at Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust by providing a team of ten floor walkers. The Trust went live at Musgrove Park Hospital and some of the local community hospitals (known as West Somerset Family) with Millennium release 0 in mid December.
bjhc&im
January 2008
Ideal Training provide floor walkers for West Somerset Cerner Millennium deploymentIdeal Training have successfully supported a Cerner Millennium go-live at Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust by providing a team of ten floor walkers.
The Trust went live at Musgrove Park Hospital and some of the local community hospitals (known as West Somerset Family) with Millennium release 0 in mid December.
Musgrove Park is the largest general hospital in Somerset with 700 beds and 4000 staff, of which 1800 are Cerner system users. This implementation is the culmination of two years work and is the largest IT project the hospitals have experienced.
Neil Stevens, Head of Somerset Health Informatics Service and Programme Director for the Cerner Project was delighted with the professional, smooth running and controlled implementation programme. He said "The support we received during and post implementation was of high quality".
Carole Shuff, Programme Manager said, "We recognised the enormous impact a good floorwalking team has on the success of project implementation and working with Somerset Health Informatics trainers and the training guides produced we felt we could provide an excellent support service. With Ideal Training's previous track record and experience in Cerner implementations, we felt confident in the service offered."
Ideal Training continue to support Musgrove Park and associated Somerset Community hospitals within the West Somerset Family and are currently looking after their data entry needs.
southern: 01483 453508 northern: 0113 390 6022 info@idealts.co.uk 
November 2009
IT Training
November 2009
Trainer to trainer - on the ground by Mark Lovatt, Ideal
What advice would you give on handling learners who aren't keeping up with the group?
Often trainers tend to try 'buddying' up a slow learner with a fast learner so they can concentrate on the rest of the group. If that still doesn't work they 'have a word' at tea-break, meaning they persuade them to leave the course and get individual help.
These approaches are reasonable, but not perfect as the impact on the group is not 100 per cent positive.
The priority for me is that all learners achieve the objectives of the session and fast learners achieve more. If someone is struggling to achieve all the objectives then my fall-back position is that they achieve as much as possible during the session without impacting the learning of the rest of the group.
Hospitals go electronic
Last year, the Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust decided to introduce a new eRecord system to improve patient and medication administration. In less than a year, the trust's IT training team, with the help of training company Ideal, tackled the preparation and training of several thousand staff.
Last year, the Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust decided to introduce a new eRecord system to improve patient and medication administration. In less than a year, the trust's IT training team, with the help of training company Ideal, tackled the preparation and training of several thousand staff.
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Training Services 2008 |