Virtual Burns Nursing Competencies
Dave Jacinto1, 1Royal Darwin Hospital, Tiwi, NT, Australia
Abstract
Establishing and maintaining competencies in burns nursing is often challenging due to competing demands in workload, nursing time demand and overall shortage in the nursing workforce (Dahlke et al. 2020). A paradigm shift towards increasing information technology as educational resources is an appropriate strategy in overcoming these challenges. The development of a virtual burns nursing competency is a tool developed in meeting educational needs in a general surgical, trauma and burns unit. As a mixed-method approach, it aims to prepare nursing staff in understanding the holistic needs of burns patients and performing complex burn related wound management skills. The competency tool uses constructive alignment as an underlying theoretical framework to provide meaningful learning for participants (Biggs 2014). The learning outcomes is outlined in a printed booklet together with burns related guidelines. Five Domains are incorporated which are general considerations in burn care, burn assessment and wound dressings, face care, skin graft and donor sites and discharge planning. Each domain has a corresponding competency statements that participants are expected to perform with an assessor through simulations and low cost moulage. Videos are available in each domain and can be accessed via a QR code embedded in the booklet. Nursing, allied health and medical staff are the cast in the video to increase engagement and interest amongst participants. The virtual competencies will enable a standardised delivery of burn related education and addresses aspect of burn trauma such as pain and importance of rehabilitation.
References:
Dahlke, S., Hunter, K.F. and Amoudu, O. (2020)‘Innovation in education with acute care nurses’,The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 51(9), pp. 420–424.
Kavanagh, J.M. and DNP, P.A.S. (2021)‘Crisis in Competency: A Defining Moment in Nursing Education’,Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 26(1), p. N.PAG.
Biggs, J. (2014).Constructive alignment in university teaching.HERDSA Review of Higher Education, 1, 5-22.
Biography
Dave Jacinto is a Clinical Nurse Consultant for the Burns Service of the Royal Darwin Hospital. He currently holds a Masters Degree in Acute Care Nursing and is a member for the Acustralian College of Nursing and the Australia and New Zealand Burns Association. He has been coordinating the care for burns patient for the last 7 years and has been providing burns related education to staff across the Top End.