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Putting oomph into inservice
be a learning experience. I wanted to put the “oomph” back into inservice education. Through the cooperative efforts of the operating room staff and my supervisor, we did it. Our programs have been expanded to include recovery room, surgical intensive care, nursing students, medical students, and other nursing service members. It did not begin that way. At the first inservice meeting I attended as a new employee, there were eight staff members who had finished with their day’s cases and had been rounded up by the supervisor. An operating room was selected a t the last minute as the place, only because it happened to be empty. The listeners draped themselves on the backtables and Mayo stands and sat uncomfortably on low standing stools. The content was vague, consisting mostly of reminders, memos, and do’s and don’ts. As an observer, I note things that needed immediate changing: 0 After a long day working in the operating room, surely the audience must be tired of looking at the same surroundings. They would probably like to sit in a more comfortable position and take a break from the same dull green walls and hard conductive floors. 0 There must be another way to present the constant reminders. 0 And there must be hundreds of topics to choose from. My first inservice meeting was also a do’s and don’ts topic, but presented in a new format. It was a short radio drama, soap opera entitled, “The Adventures of Barbara Newcomer.” I had no problem in lining up a cast. The characters presented were readily identifiable: the head nurse, “Ms
978
Don’t Give us Any Lunch Today”; the inservice instructor, “Ms You’re Doing It All Wrong.” There was also Miss Primp who thought it much better to be attractive with her bangs showing than to practice good aseptic technique; “Miss Been Here for Ten Years o r More” and “Miss Know It All, Can’t Tell Me Anything New.” These characters presented the “Don’ts.” “Miss Everything in Order” and “Miss Reliable” presented the “DO’S.’’This program, short and to the point, with a new approach soon brought suggestions on further inservice meetings from the staff. A class on “Cardiac arrest and the nurses’ role” was a number one candidate. An invitation to the Anesthesia Department for help brought a n immediate positive response. If you have invited guest speakers, his introduction should include his background and credentials. It is standard protocol for any guest lecturer. If your program is early in the morning, offer your guest speaker donuts and coffee, either before or after his presentation. He will be more willing t o play a return engagement if you ask him again. Our programs are held in the late afternoon to include the afternoon staff, if they want to come. We always give the guest lecturer a small token gift in appreciation for his time. When a rash of unexpected wound infections raised its ugly head, I noted that most employees had forgotten a few set rules of microbiology and a review of basic science was needed. Our hospital epidemiologist provided a guest speaker from the infectious diseases staff. He presented not only a review of microbiology, but also reviewed basic principles of sterilization and housekeeping. Through
AORN Journal, November 1973,VoZ 18, N o 5
the use of slides, the audience could “see” the organisms that lay hidden and unseen, the carriers of wound infections. Since his lecture was shorter than anticipated, the subject was opened for discussion. The discussion stimulated quite a few thoughts. Company representatives are also good resource material. Most often, they are happy to give inservice meetings on the care and usage of their products. They can also provide literature, film strips and movies. Between meetings, a bulletin board placed in the lounge area with current information seemed wasted. No one bothered to read the typed pages placed at random. A bulletin board can be a great asset, if used correctly. There should be a change of content once a week so that “something new” can be read during a coffee break or while eating lunch. With many magazines on the market today, there should be no problem obtaining worthwhile and new information. The local newspaper is also a source
for articles. A well-read inservice instructor is a must. For example, the self-assessment tests from “Point of View” showed us all how much we had forgotten since training days. To stimulate employee participation and good housekeeping practices, we shared a system of rewards. A bright gold star adorned the rooms that passed a thorough and vigorous room inspection. Special name tags bearing “Most Improved Award” were presented at inservice meetings for personnel who kept up-to-date through reading posted articles or for spontaneous initiative shown through job improvements or suggestions. These are just a few ideas on how to put the “oomph” back into inwrvice education. These same suggestions can work for either a small hospital or large one. What started out with but a handful of disgruntled employees in an empty operating room has expanded into a large inservice classroom with standing room only. We did it in four months. So can you!
Program for inacfive women physicians The Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, has received an HEW contract to begin a part-time residency program designed primarily for currently inactive women physicians.
Eight inactive women physicians will be enrolled in the pilot course beginning July 1, 1974. Two will take residency training in internal medicine, two in pediatrics, two in obstetrics-gynecology and two in anesthesiology. The type and duration of training will be determined during the first year of the four-year contract. “This project is potentially useful in retraining women physicians on active medical service as well as inducing inactive women MDs to return to practice,” said Harry W Bruce, Jr, director of the division of physician and health professions education of the Bureau of Health Manpower Education, National Institutes of Health within HEW. About 27,000 physicians in the United States are women, according to figures tabulated December 31, 1971. Of that total, roughly 3,000 are inactive. About 1,300 are formally retired, but some of the other 1,700 might be encouraged to resume practice.
980
AORN Journal, November 1973, Vol18, N o 5
978
Don’t Give us Any Lunch Today”; the inservice instructor, “Ms You’re Doing It All Wrong.” There was also Miss Primp who thought it much better to be attractive with her bangs showing than to practice good aseptic technique; “Miss Been Here for Ten Years o r More” and “Miss Know It All, Can’t Tell Me Anything New.” These characters presented the “Don’ts.” “Miss Everything in Order” and “Miss Reliable” presented the “DO’S.’’This program, short and to the point, with a new approach soon brought suggestions on further inservice meetings from the staff. A class on “Cardiac arrest and the nurses’ role” was a number one candidate. An invitation to the Anesthesia Department for help brought a n immediate positive response. If you have invited guest speakers, his introduction should include his background and credentials. It is standard protocol for any guest lecturer. If your program is early in the morning, offer your guest speaker donuts and coffee, either before or after his presentation. He will be more willing t o play a return engagement if you ask him again. Our programs are held in the late afternoon to include the afternoon staff, if they want to come. We always give the guest lecturer a small token gift in appreciation for his time. When a rash of unexpected wound infections raised its ugly head, I noted that most employees had forgotten a few set rules of microbiology and a review of basic science was needed. Our hospital epidemiologist provided a guest speaker from the infectious diseases staff. He presented not only a review of microbiology, but also reviewed basic principles of sterilization and housekeeping. Through
AORN Journal, November 1973,VoZ 18, N o 5
the use of slides, the audience could “see” the organisms that lay hidden and unseen, the carriers of wound infections. Since his lecture was shorter than anticipated, the subject was opened for discussion. The discussion stimulated quite a few thoughts. Company representatives are also good resource material. Most often, they are happy to give inservice meetings on the care and usage of their products. They can also provide literature, film strips and movies. Between meetings, a bulletin board placed in the lounge area with current information seemed wasted. No one bothered to read the typed pages placed at random. A bulletin board can be a great asset, if used correctly. There should be a change of content once a week so that “something new” can be read during a coffee break or while eating lunch. With many magazines on the market today, there should be no problem obtaining worthwhile and new information. The local newspaper is also a source
for articles. A well-read inservice instructor is a must. For example, the self-assessment tests from “Point of View” showed us all how much we had forgotten since training days. To stimulate employee participation and good housekeeping practices, we shared a system of rewards. A bright gold star adorned the rooms that passed a thorough and vigorous room inspection. Special name tags bearing “Most Improved Award” were presented at inservice meetings for personnel who kept up-to-date through reading posted articles or for spontaneous initiative shown through job improvements or suggestions. These are just a few ideas on how to put the “oomph” back into inwrvice education. These same suggestions can work for either a small hospital or large one. What started out with but a handful of disgruntled employees in an empty operating room has expanded into a large inservice classroom with standing room only. We did it in four months. So can you!
Program for inacfive women physicians The Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, has received an HEW contract to begin a part-time residency program designed primarily for currently inactive women physicians.
Eight inactive women physicians will be enrolled in the pilot course beginning July 1, 1974. Two will take residency training in internal medicine, two in pediatrics, two in obstetrics-gynecology and two in anesthesiology. The type and duration of training will be determined during the first year of the four-year contract. “This project is potentially useful in retraining women physicians on active medical service as well as inducing inactive women MDs to return to practice,” said Harry W Bruce, Jr, director of the division of physician and health professions education of the Bureau of Health Manpower Education, National Institutes of Health within HEW. About 27,000 physicians in the United States are women, according to figures tabulated December 31, 1971. Of that total, roughly 3,000 are inactive. About 1,300 are formally retired, but some of the other 1,700 might be encouraged to resume practice.
980
AORN Journal, November 1973, Vol18, N o 5