Article Text
Abstract
By using a unique insight as a former nursing home manager and now an End of Life Care educator, I am able to approach the learning needs for all staff with a wide range of techniques. Based in the hospice, I can reflect the good practice of the hospice and demonstrate good practice across all care homes. The programme has been developed using known models such as the Six Steps, but, this is more than that. This is Six Steps Too... The programme has six modules. Each learning session is provided four times across each locality ensuring staff can access them easily (often transport is an issue). Every learner completes a knowledge, skills and confidence audit and the results are outstanding, an average increase of 60% in knowledge, skills and confidence for all learning objectives on every session. Each module is supported by two visits, one for implementation (‘show me’) one for evidence of the implementation of learning in practice (‘prove it’).
By using real experiences, the sessions are relevant, true and goals are realistic, often using the mantra ‘I can do it so can you’, staff soon learn that behind every ‘Fred’ and ‘Doris’ (safe names used on each session for confidentiality) is a real person; their legacy is their story, a gift for your learning.
Staff in all care homes I am supporting with the programme have evidence of residents’ stories, the impact on all those important to them is enormous.
To conclude, end of life care education for care home staff need not be dull, text book or irrelevant. We need our care home staff to feel motivated and empowered, that is exactly the aim of Six Steps Too...