Authors (including presenting author) :
Yung PKB (1), Lee KWS(1), Au LYI(1), Chan CMA(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Physiotherapy Department, Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Introduction :
The global outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has spread worldwide and threatened the teaching and learning processes worldwide, including in Hong Kong. Over the pandemic years, the teaching mode of the physiotherapy programs in Hong Kong were being affected seriously. Clinical education is one of the core components in physiotherapy program. However, with the restrictions on learning activities, the clinical education was modified to the blended mode of online learning and clinical placement. All the high-risk wards and high-risk procedures were screened out. Therefore, the students had less clinical exposure and experience in infection control measures and aerosol generating procedure (AGP). Consequently, it posed a substantial challenge in progressing students to healthcare professional staff. An enhanced staff engagement program for new recruits has been launched in the Physiotherapy Department in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital since 2022, which emphasized on simulation training on infection control and AGP, and on-the-job coaching in wards.
Objectives :
To evaluate the effectiveness of the program in increasing the staff competency in infection control measures and AGP to provide better quality of service for patients.
Methodology :
All new recruits from year 2022 to 2024 attended the program within the first month of arrival on regular basis. It consisted of an 8 hour-training program with e-courseware, didactic theory course and simulation practicum session; and one-year on-the-job coaching. Regular audits were conducted within the first working year. Participants were required to perform safe and correct suction technique with proper infection control measures for completing the training. Simulation Effective Tool-Modified (SET-M) was used for new recruits’ evaluation of the program.
Result & Outcome :
Within the review period, 29 new recruits attended and completed the program successfully. Regarding the SET-M, all participants agreed that the simulation training enhanced their learning outcomes and confidence in clinical judgment in infection control measures and AGP through pre-briefing, scenario and debriefing. With the theory and simulation practicum, new recruits were more capable and competent in performing infection control measures and AGP effectively and safely. During COVID-19 pandemic, physiotherapy students in Hong Kong had less clinical experience in high-risk procedure in high-risk areas due to restrictions on learning activities. With this enhanced staff engagement program, it was effective in enhancing new recruits’ competency in infection control measures and AGP to provide effective and efficient treatment for our needy patients.
