Education Report 2011 - Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre

LI KA SHING INTERNATIONAL HEALTHCARE EDUCATION CENTRE

Education Report 2011

Knowledge Translation – Getting the word out We are a leader in knowledge translation—closing the gap between what we know is the best way to treat patients and the care they actually receive.

Here are some examples of knowledge translation at work.

Education bridges the gap between knowledge and action

Excellent patient outcomes through leadership in health professional education.

A Message from Bob Howard & Patricia Houston When St. Michael’s embarked on building a new research and education institute, we sought to create a collaborative community of educators, researchers and students.

Unlike any hospital in the city or country, the new, groundbreaking institute would bring these groups together to foster innovation and excellence in patient care.

We thank all of our donors and supporters for helping us realize this vision. Now, as we celebrate the Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre and our progress in meeting our education goals, we are celebrating the partnerships and community we have created. Students from all disciplines come to register, seek support and engage with one another in a new, centralized student centre.

Strengthened partnerships with leading academic institutions have propelled our continuing education and professional development programs to support not only our own staff and physicians, but our local and international partners as well.

Although we’ve seen great progress, we are examining how well we are doing and what services we can provide to better meet the learning needs of our staff, students, patients and their families. We are also exploring new ways to meet these needs with emerging technologies.

Through this leadership in professional education and our vision to bring health professionals together, we will achieve excellent patient outcomes to create a healthier world.

Acknowledgements Robert Howard – President and Chief Executive Officer Patricia Houston – Vice President, Education Ella Ferris – EVP Programs and Chief Nursing Executive John King – EVP Programs and Chief Administrative Officer Doug Sinclair – EVP Programs and Chief Medical Officer Members of Education Council Centre for Faculty Development Staff Health Sciences Library Staff Leadership and Organizational Development Staff St. Michael’s Student Centre Staff Allan Waters’ Family Simulation Centre Staff

Beverly Bulmer – Manager, Academic Affairs – Health Disciplines Mollie Butler – Corporate Nursing Education Leader Lori Gauld – Manager, Simulation and Student Centres Lori MacBeth – Senior Consultant, Team Lead, Leadership and Organizational Development Hollie Mullins – Administrative Assistant Neil Shah – Project Manager, Education and EVP/CMO

Robert J. Howard President & CEO

Patricia Houston Vice President Education

Julie Saccone – Public Relations Janet Gunn – Public Relations Consultant

Student Experience

4

All our educators at St. Michael’s Hospital

Continuing Education & Professional Development

9

Technology Supported Resources

15

Education Report 2011 | 3

Student Experience

A home for student services As a medical student, finding work-life balance is no easy task, Anil Kuchinad contends. In fact, it’s one of the biggest challenges facing most students today.

But Kuchinad says having a one-stop shop dedicated to helping students navigate the demanding pressures of medical school is critical for success in medicine. And Kuchinad says the new student centre at St. Michael’s does just that.

“It’s a place that you know is for you,” he says. “You have a voice, there is always someone to help and it gives you the chance to meet with other students from other disciplines. It’s a true community.”

Guided by a mission to improve the student experience, St. Michael’s opened the new centre in the Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre in 2010. Here, the growing list of students — medical, nursing, health disciplines, administrative, engineering — come to register, seek advice, address administrative issues and interact with one another.

“It’s important to remember that health care is done as a team,” explains second-year medical resident Dr. Jonathan Ailon.

“That comes from teaching and from learning together.”

Registration Streamlined process to get students set-up efficiently

Ailon himself was both a teacher and student in the FitzGerald Academy, housed in the student centre. The Academy provides medical education for undergraduate students. Ailon tutored students in a course that provides medical students with hands-on clinical experience.

Orientation Preparing students for their placement

“Good clinicians are also good teachers,” he explains.

“A sustainable health-care system needs both.”

“Having a one-stop shop dedicated to helping students navigate the demanding pressures of medical school is critical for success in medicine.”

Supporting the Student Experience

At the FitzGerald Academy, students apply their knowledge to solve real-life clinical cases, learn how to conduct research and take on apprenticeships in the last two years of their program.

The academy, recognized for its award-winning teachers, is unique because it focuses on community health in serving and caring for diverse and disadvantaged populations. This gives the St. Michael’s learner a truly distinct student experience.

Evaluation Listening to the voice of our students to ensure success Programs Workshops and opportunities to engage students and enhance placements Support Dedicated staff to provide assistance when needed Student Lounge A place to unwind and collaborate with other students

Education Report 2011 | 5

Student Experience Interprofessional Education Activities for our Students

We value student engagement.

Our goal is to improve the learning experience while working together to deliver quality care for patients and their families.

Comments from our Students:

St. Michael’s educators facilitate monthly sessions to our students over the lunch hour. These sessions give students the opportunity to better understand the roles of other professionals and the role they play in the patient care team.

Other topics covered include, health literacy, interprofessional collaboration, from the care receiver’s point of view, and nursing scope of practice: what you should know.

Recognizing Teaching Achievements

“My experience at St Mike’s has been the best learning experience thus far in my studies as a nursing student.”

Every year, St. Michael’s honours its educators. Award ceremonies, held in the spring, pay tribute to the exceptional achievements and outstanding commitment “St Michael’s is my first choice for employment due to the of our staff and physicians. The awards honour leaders in excellent staff and values…This is the first hospital that has professional education for their vision to achieve excellent met all the values that I hold as a nurse.” patient outcomes. Forty-five teaching awards are presented at our annual events – five Nursing Excellence Awards, five “I feel that St. Mike’s encourages its staff to “better Health Discipline Education Awards and 35 Medical themselves” though education and research. I get the feeling that St. Mike’s would only take “the best of the best” Education Achievement Awards. and that would attract me to consider employment here.”

“Organizational culture is welcoming and supportive of students, preceptor was knowledgeable, resourceful and provided excellent supervision.”

“Variety of imaging modalities and pathologies, interprofessional education sessions, opportunity to observe surgery was a highlight, helpful and friendly preceptors – Experience was wonderful!”

“Absolutely wonderful Clinical Educator, enthusiastic teacher, always made me feel comfortable and welcome, all of the staff were so friendly I felt like part of the team.”

“St. Mikes has exceeded my expectations.”

Number of Student Placements; 3,147

1138 683 454 424 400

Medical Residents & Fellows Medical Undergraduate Nursing Health Disciplines Research

In addition: 17 Midwifery, 12 Engineering, 12 Medical Office Administration, 6 Planning, 1 Medical Media

Where Students Come From

85% 6% 3% 2% 2% 2%

University of Toronto Ryerson University Humber College Michener Institute York University Other

More than 200 participants from various disciplines have participated, including: Chiropractic, Clinical Dietetics, Echocardiography, Medical Imaging, Medical Labs, Medicine, Nuclear Med, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, OTA/PTA, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Radiological Tech, Recreation Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Speech Language Pathology, Social Work, Spiritual Care, and Ultrasound.

Comments from our Students: “I liked learning about the different professions and being able to ask questions about the professions.”

“Thank you for doing this. It provides respect for other professionals for what they do and their contribution to patient-centred care.”

“The most important thing I learned was the importance of interprofessional communication while caring for a patient, and communication with a patient.”

Youth Science and Technology Outreach Program (YSTOP) Since 2007, YSTOP has been providing high school co-op students with hands-on experience in science, technology and research innovation. The goal of the program is to expose students to various roles in a hospital setting and the path to these careers.

Interprofessional Education Activities in the Inner City Health Program

Within a semester, students engage in various education modules including:

To better prepare students for clinical practice, there has been a growing need in the Department of Family and Community Medicine to provide more interprofessional education (IPE) activities. To address this need, St. Michael’s educators have developed six different IPE programs for students in medicine, physiotherapy, nursing, chiropractic, social work, dietitian and pharmacy. Through the program, the students learn together about how to collaborate in primary care. Students have reported that these are great opportunities to work together, and realize that everyone really does want to support each other According to staff, the IPE activities are a “positive learning experience for everyone, not just for the students but also for the clinicians.” By helping to remove barriers to collaboration and enhancing enthusiasm for team-based care, this unique way of teaching and learning is shaping the culture of care in our department.

• Developments in state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging technology • Discovering the tests used to help diagnose diseases in our clinical diagnostic laboratories • Learning basic life saving skills • Emergency and trauma care training through the patient simulation centre YSTOP is funded by the Ministry of Research and Innovation, and in partnership with WoodGreen Community Centre and Toronto Christian Resource Centre.

170,792

96%

90%

Number of Medical Training Days

of Nursing Students reported being satisfied with their placement and learning experience.

of Health Discipline students ranked their overall Learning Experience at St. Michael’s as Very Good or Excellent.

Education Report 2011 | 7

Student Experience

Continuing Education & Professional Development

“I love to help people see who and what a nurse is, how impactful they are. I love watching them grow.”

“In the end, it’s about providing patients with the best possible care.”

– Julie Mauceri

– Janet Andrews

Learning and teaching go hand in hand Healthcare students spend years learning in the classroom and in hands-on clinical settings how they can be the best at what they do—providing care to patients. At the same time, teachers spend years learning how to teach so their students can thrive.

St. Michael’s provides many opportunities for our staff and physicians so they can do both. For example, Janet Andrews is a nursing specialist and educator for combined care in Labour and Delivery, and Post-Partum. She loves teaching,

thrives on it, in fact, and is very passionate about her profession— nursing.

focuses on hands-on training at the bedside and simulated scenarios on the unit. She also co-teaches the corporate mentorship program that prepares nurses who want to mentor new staff. Her latest passion is learning more about emotional intelligence and social styles, which she is incorporating into her teaching.

It is these characteristics that make Andrews an ideal nurse who also teaches. “I love to help people see who and what a nurse is, how impactful they are. I love watching them understand and seeing them grow—it’s about helping them connect the dots.” But Andrews is also a life-long learner.

She just completed her Masters in Andrews does the orientation for new Women’s Health at the University of staff, and a large percentage of that Toronto, and is now preparing to do a group are nursing graduates. She Ph.D. She also takes workshops and

courses through the Hospital’s Leadership and Organizational Development program to continue to learn new ways to infuse what she learns into what she teaches.

Mauceri works in one of the Hospital’s most highly-specialized areas. The patients she sees every day need 24/7 care. “I love what I do and it’s the most amazing for me to be working with current and new hires when you see Julie Mauceri, the clinical nurse their nods and faces light up,” she says. educator for Trauma and “That’s my indication that they get it…

Neurosurgery’s Inpatient Unit, is also a knowledge is one thing but to clearly teacher. She says the key is being a good articulate, that is what is the most listener. “I don’t have all the answers, fulfilling and satisfying for me.” but I have been in the same shoes before so I find it helps new nurses Mauceri began teaching in 2004 when know what to do in certain situations.” she became the resource nurse for the Trauma and Neurosurgery Intensive

Care Unit. Like Andrews, she is also a learner. She completed her Degree and Masters in Nursing and continues to take courses to finesse her skills.

Now she provides what she calls the A-Z in Trauma and Neurosurgery and has recently added Acute Care Surgery to her teaching repertoire. “What I do is help nurses think critically. As a nurse, you need to know what to do if… and there are so many different scenarios.

In the end, it’s about providing patients with the best possible care.

To do that, education is key.”

Education Report 2011 | 9

Continuing Education & Professional Development Outcomes of the Organizational Learning Scan

What we Learned

• Better understand what learning programs currently exist and how they are supported • Identify the learning needs of individuals and groups working in similar areas to better support them in their roles • Provide recommendations on opportunities and improvements to our current programs

• There are a wide range of formal and informal learning activities throughout the organization.

• There is a need for better alignment around how these activities are structured and how people can be supported to participate.

Moving Forward The Continuing Education & Professional Development Sub-Committee of the Education Council are developing recommendations and implementation strategies to enhance how education activities are developed and supported at St. Michael’s, specifically, in the areas of: • Planning and Infrastructure • Use of technology to support the development of activities and improve learner access • Evaluating the impact of learning

Organizational Learning Scan As a leading academic health sciences centre, St. Michael’s is committed to offering world-class educational opportunities to all staff and physicians. Why do we think education is so important? Leading edge continuing education and professional development programs in health care can mean better patient care and outcomes.

The Organizational Learning Scan was developed to understand the existing education activities at St. Michael’s and conduct a needs assessment for staff and physicians to determine how best to support their roles. By understanding how we support learning, how people approach learning, and what they see as learning needs for their role in the organization, our education programs can evolve to better meet the needs of our people.

To accomplish this, St. Michael’s implemented a three-phased engagement strategy through a working group of the Education Council. This group, which led the development, implementation and analysis of the process, included education leaders from nursing, medicine, health disciplines, leadership & organizational development, the Centre for Faculty Development and the Office for Continuing Education and Professional Development in the Faculty of Medicine. Together, the multidisciplinary group developed the methodology to gather the data needs and attempted to identify opportunities to align the various education priorities across the organization.

Through the 2011 Education Summit, St. Michael’s will develop and communicate recommendations and priorities.

Developing an education roadmap with appropriate resources, infrastructure, and tools for evaluation, will support the delivery of effective teaching and learning programs at St. Michael’s. This will meet the learning needs of our staff and physicians and contribute to excellent patient care.

3-Phased Strategy

Internal Scan Target Group

# Participated

Response Rate

Physician Leadership

23

68%

VP/Directors

27

96%

Management Team

55

54%

Phase 1 Establish the Current State of Learning Activities

External Scan

• Surveyed the hospital’s administrative, clinical and physician leadership

Target Group

• Interviewed executives responsible for Education at academic hospitals in Ontario

Academic Hospitals

6

Other Industries

2

•

Interviewed companies in other sectors with leading practices in staff learning

# Participated

Phase 2 To Understand St. Michael’s Learning Needs • Conducted focus groups with the hospital’s staff and physicians

in both intradisciplinary and interdisciplinary groups

Phase 3 To Understand How and What People Want to Learn • Conducted a survey for all staff and physicians

• 24 focus groups with over 150 participants • Over 1,300 responses to the survey

Respondents included individuals from all levels of the organization from executive, management, clinicians and support staff.

Education Report 2011 | 11

Continuing Education & Professional Development Centre for Faculty Development

Internationally Educated Professionals Integration and Transition Program

Ellen Newbold is an educator. She teaches physiotherapy students, educates her colleagues on how to mentor students, and has spoken at several local and international conferences. For Newbold, the Centre for Faculty Development (CFD) has been invaluable. “When I became the education leader for Physiotherapy, I quickly set out to learn more about teaching through the Centre for Faculty Development.”

Newbold says she had not deeply engaged in learning about education before. “I learned to teach by seeing and doing. I enrolled in the Stepping Stones Certificate Program and learned a lot through its Journal Club and numerous CFD workshops,” she says. “Interprofessional discussions regarding learning theories, roles of learners and educators and teaching strategies were rich and provided me with practical ways to make changes to my teaching that would have an impact. I also developed a new network of colleagues with which to share questions and ideas regarding education.”

Through her learning activities at the CFD, she says it’s a matter of taking what she learns and applying it in her day-to-day life. “Sometimes it’s helping colleagues interact with students by offering them tips on how to give feedback.

Or it could be taking a large group lecture and making changes to make it more interactive.”

Newbold completed Stepping Stones in 2008, and continues to learn through the CFD. For the past two years, she has been co-facilitator of a Stepping Stones Journal Club. “I am learning something new all the time and it has opened my eyes to the difference I can make as an educator.”

Despite being at the peak of his career as an anesthesiologist, Sanjay Yagnik packed up his family and moved from India to Canada to give his children the prospect of a better life.

Yagnik and his family immigrated to Canada in 2005. He chose not to pursue medical school once he arrived but instead applied for a clinical research program at Humber College. While he was accepted soon after, he needed a job to earn money in the 11 months before the start of the program. He landed a job as a packer in a warehouse but felt he didn’t have a chance to learn about the Canadian workplace culture.

“Technical abilities are just one of many skills required to be successful,” he says. “But, learning how to resolve conflict and build professional relationships in the Canadian work environment are equally important.”

Thirteen years later and hoping to return to a hospital setting, Yagnik sought a new opportunity with St. Michael’s as a clinical research co-ordinator in the department of anesthesia. While getting accustomed to his new role, Yagnik still felt he lacked the non-technical skills necessary to be successful in his new role. That’s when he entered the St. Michael’s Hospital Internationally Educated Professionals Integration and Transition (IEP) Program.

workforce. Key components of the award-winning program include workshops that address foreign-trained professionals’ workplace challenges and barriers, cultural diversity, communication across cultures, and a mentorship program.

“The IEP program has put me at a different level,” he says.

“I, like many immigrants, was struggling with integrating into the Canadian workplace, but the program and my mentor put me on the right path. “Today, I have the tools and knowledge to help me grow professionally and the confidence to succeed in my career.”

Leadership & Organizational Development Co-ordinating the transition of 13 departments and more than 230 staff to the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute has been a challenging but successful task for project co-ordinator Eduarda Calado. Calado attributes the smooth transition to skills she gained through the hospital’s leadership and organizational development programs.

A student of the hospital’s management development certificate, the project co-ordinator applied what she learned to her various roles in clinical settings to project planning and management. The certificate is designed to help participants develop the skills and competencies necessary to become successful managers.

“The management development certificate program equipped me with the skills and confidence I needed to grow and succeed in my job,” Calado says. “I was motivated not only by what I learned, but by the support from other managers and leadership development in helping me excel to reach my potential.”

After taking on a role leading a large corporate greening initiative, Calado was motivated to continue to develop her leadership skills. She applied to the hospital’s leadership program – 12-day program focused on leadership skill development in a collaborative classroom environment.

“During my time in the leadership program, I developed great team building skills as I worked on a project focused on improving the hospital’s ultrasound services,” Calado said.

“Through the task, I learned new problem solving techniques, how to leverage my strengths and motivate our team to a common goal. The experience was invaluable.”

While the leadership project has now winded down, a staff development certificate program, offered through in-class and e-learning sessions, and a tuition assistance program continue to support staff skills and knowledge development.

St. Michael’s leadership and organizational development team is now expanding its offerings as it prepares to launch a number of new exciting initiatives focused on e-learning and leadership development.

“It was as if someone heard my concerns and designed a program according to my needs,” he says.

The Centre for Faculty Development is located on fourth floor of the Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre at St. Michael’s and offers a variety of programs for health professional teachers and educators, and is committed to scholarship and research in Education.

Funded by the Government of Ontario and Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the bridge training program provides internationally educated professionals with the education and resources to help ease the transition into the Canadian

Leadership & Organizational Development

Centre for Faculty Development

3,900

7.5

1,339

50

$2,858,526

Number of staff members using the Learning Management System to enroll and participate in education activities

Average number of hours staff engage in in-house education activities per year

Number of participants in CFD workshops and programs

Number of publications

Total research funding for faculty development and health professions education research supported by the CFD research unit

Education Report 2011 | 13

Continuing Education & Professional Development

Technology Supported Resources A real-life theatre Just like a pilot can’t fly a plane without hands-on training, St. Michael’s has a theatre or rehearsal space for students and clinicians before they treat a real patient.

Now every month, a group of new nurses to the hospital are getting the same hands-on experience as part of their two-day orientation. Mollie Butler, the corporate nursing education leader at St. Michael’s, says the program The Allan Waters’ Family Simulation is a way to keep things interesting and Centre is important rehearsal space that interactive. “Nurses are used to moving prepares our healthcare teams for the around, so bringing them to the real-life dramas that happen in our simulation centre is a great way to keep hospital every day. The stars are them engaged.” high-fidelity mannequins called patient simulators. A coordinator sits behind a Butler worked with the simulation one-way mirror and manipulates these team and clinical nurse educators to computer-driven, life-sized virtual develop the orientation program. Right patients to breathe, have a pulse, and now, there are three sessions being respond to intravenous medications, offered—admitting a patient, handing CPR, defibrillation, ventilation, over a patient case to an incoming catheterization, and an array of other nurse, and planning discharge. Butler interventions, the same way humans do. says the program is now in the design phase, will be tested and refined as needed.

“The willingness to incorporate simulation training into our orientation is very strong,” says Butler.

“We’re looking forward to see where this program will take us.”

$975,565 Total funding for scholarship activities in simulation

18 Number of simulation-related peer-reviewed publications over the past year

Simulation Centre Statistics for 2010 Number of participants by type of scenario Program

Examples of Scenarios

Peri-operative

Operating room crisis management; Surgical skills

556

Trauma & Critical Care

Multidisciplinary training for emergency, trauma, Code Blue and critical care episodes; Tele-mentoring

846

Heart

Cardiac arrest, auscultation

502

Paediatric

Neonatal intensive care

123

Nursing Practice

1st Responder

205

Health Disciplines Practice

Orientation and skills development for Respiratory Therapists, Physiotherapists, Chaplains and Dieticians

124

Introductory and External Users

Introduction for students and volunteers; Tours & demonstrations for visitors

305

Total

Total Number of Participants

2661 Education Report 2011 | 15

Technology Supported Resources

Health Sciences Library

Learning Management System

Staying current on new trends and practices in healthcare is vital for the hospital’s clinicians, researchers, educators and students.

The Learning Management System is the main access point for instructor-led and on-line learning programs at St. Michael’s. Over 450 courses, of both clinical and non-clinical learning A key resource is the new Health content, have been put together into a Sciences Library, positioned between single catalogue and made available to the connecting bridge to the hospital clinicians, educators, researchers, and close to core teaching and education activities in the Li Ka Shing support service workers, administrators, coordinators and Knowledge Institute. leaders. Both in-class and e-learning The library facilitates greater access to courses and sessions are offered. research materials and provides library Through the system, the hospital can courses and work space for staff and evaluate completion and compliance students. Library staff offer expertise in rates, participation by groups and locating research material and participant hours by learning category navigating the electronic resources to help inform students of their available 24/7. progress and future course offerings.

The new Library boasts a teaching lab, Future developments include using the a large work area and individual system to provide detailed reports to workstations with power outlets. managers about employee educational Floor- to-ceiling windows also provide activities, uploading additional extensive natural light. e-learning modules with interactive

Simulation Centre – The future of technology In spring 2011, St. Michael’s will be home to one of the best simulation centres in the world. The Allan Waters’ Family Simulation Centre will be a state-of-the-art facility for simulation training using the latest in technology and equipment.

“Moving into the Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre is something we are all very excited about,” says Teodor Grantcharov, the Medical Director for the centre.

“It gives us the opportunity to integrate more technology and equipment for simulation training, curriculum development and research than ever before.”

Books, journals and publications are arranged in the center of the space, making locating key resources easy.

Tables with computer stations line the windows and the large work area encourages collaboration among the groups.

Supporting learning through technology Technology-based learning is part of St. Michael’s education strategic plan.

Stand-alone modules, recorded webinars or podcasts provide “anytime, anywhere” options, enabling learners to build their skills at their own pace, in their preferred time and from their preferred location. Webinars and teleconferences can allow for real-time interaction while social collaboration tools allow for meaningful learning through dialogue and resource sharing.

There are more than 20 e-learning modules accessible to staff 24/7 through the system. Topic areas include: compliance, safety, clinical, technical, and interpersonal skills. All e-learning modules are tracked for completion, many with evaluative components to measure the learner’s knowledge.

Going forward, the focus will be on capabilities and coordinating scheduled growing our ability to align classes with the e-mail calendar. organizational and student needs by providing well-designed, engaging and effective e-learning experiences to complement and increase our current learning offerings.

Here’s what to expect: Full-sized Operating Room Theatre Just like a real-life operating room, this full-sized theatre will have surgical lights on the ceiling, a flat-screen monitor to view simulated procedures in real-time, and audio/visual capabilities to broadcast simulated cases around the world to share our teaching abroad.

Skills Lab The skills lab features six workstations for minimally invasive surgery where trainees can practice various basic and advanced procedures using synthetic models or animal organs.

Virtual Reality Simulation The new Simulation Centre is all about giving students and practicing surgeons real hands-on training. The centre features various computer simulation models for surgical and endoscopic procedures, such as removing a gall bladder, appendix and laparoscopic suturing. Integrating audio/visual capabilities will be used in various scenarios for distant learning.

Education Report 2011 | 17

First-of-its-kind staff life saving program underway It was a typical day for two nurses on the General Medicine Unit at St. Michael’s last fall as they went about their day treating patients. That was, until one of the nurses collapsed. The other nurse responded right away performing chest compressions until the code blue team arrived to administer one shock before the nurse was resuscitated.

Luckily, the nurse who responded was confident in performing basic life support and attaching a defibrillator. That’s because she had just completed a basic life support program being offered to staff at St. Michael’s just one week before.

“When a code blue is called, we want to optimize our response time and the type of response,” says Dr. Natalie Wong, the medical director of the program. “We want all staff to feel comfortable reacting.”

The program focuses on improving how to respond to life-threatening situations by using defibrillators, performing quality chest compressions and alerting help as soon as possible.

“It takes about five minutes for the code blue team to get to the patient,” says Dr. Wong. “These are five critical minutes, especially since cells in the brain begin to die after four minutes without oxygen.”

This program is training staff on what they may already know, but putting them in the work environment, helping them know their role in a cardiac arrest, and showing them how to do it right so they are comfortable.

The Basic Life Support program at St. Michael’s is a newly designed program offered through the Allan Waters’ Family Simulation Centre to better meet staff training needs and comply with the Code Blue policy. Paula Iantomasi and Katherine Allan are the front-line trainers and Dr. Paul Dorian is the cardiologist in charge.

“A key part of this program is testing it and seeing the results,” says Dr. Wong. “It’s all part of a research protocol. We know through research that CPR guidelines do not always effectively translate to application. Our job is to see if this program can change that.”

“Over 200 participants trained since inception of program in November 2010” Our Goal: First, reach all nursing and health discipline staff who need to be trained; then expand the program to train everyone in the hospital.

Current Projection: 28 participants per week

Number of Participants:

“Thanks so much! I’ve never been in a code situation before and felt nervous, now I feel like I would know exactly what to do!”

Comments from our Students:

250 200

“The session was amazing. The hands-on part was good.”

150

“The instructor was fun and explained things that made it easy to understand and comfortable to get involved if necessary.

100 50 0

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

“Very helpful. Thank you!”

Education Report 2011 | 19

We are all Students.

We are all Teachers.

LI KA SHING KNOWLEDGE INSTITUTE KEENAN RESEARCH CENTRE LI KA SHING INTERNATIONAL HEALTHCARE EDUCATION CENTRE 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8 Canada Telephone: (416) 864-5700 stmichaelshospital.com/education Fully affiliated with the University of Toronto