Canterbury DHB hosts physiotherapy simulation course

Canterbury DHB hosts NZ's first ever Intensive Care Unit physiotherapy simulation course

Canterbury DHB has hosted New Zealand’s first ever Intensive Care Unit (ICU) physiotherapy simulation course.

The Physiotherapy and Critical Care Management Course, known as PaCCMan, aims to increase participants’ confidence and competence, using simulation training to improve quality of care, communication, decision making and patient management.

The Christchurch Hospital Physiotherapy Department collaborated with the Queensland Health Clinical Skills Development Service to bring PaCCMan to New Zealand, says ICU Senior Physiotherapist Sarah Fitzgerald.

“As it was the first course of its type in the country there was keen interest from physiotherapists working in ICU across the country.”

Participants from Canterbury DHB as well as other DHBs nationwide attended the course which was held in the Manawa Building.

“The state of the art facilities meant we were able to replicate an ICU environment, with the help of the coordinators and technical staff of the Clinical Skills Unit.

“The simulation suite and staff at Manawa have been critical in helping to get this course off the ground and we are very lucky to have this facility just across the road,” she says.

The two day course has strong focus on simulation training. It was designed and facilitated by Consultant Cardiothoracic Physiotherapist Peter Thomas from Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.

Canterbury DHB has been granted licencing rights to run the course for the training of our own physiotherapists and physiotherapists from across New Zealand.

Sarah and her Canterbury DHB colleague, ICU Physiotherapist Maisie Farndon, were trained in running the course so they will able to facilitate it again in the future.

“The aim is to run the course for both internal and external physiotherapists at least twice a year.”

PaCCMan contributes to the learning and development of physiotherapists for work in the intensive care environment and expands their knowledge of contemporary, safe clinical practice. It includes practical sessions on assessment and clinical skills, as well as simulated experiences in providing respiratory care and rehabilitation.

It is designed for physiotherapists who have limited exposure to intensive care patient management, or want to update their knowledge of assessment and treatment processes. It allows participants to understand the complexity of inter-disciplinary working within the Intensive Care Setting, Sarah says.

ENDS

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