FIRST2ACT
FEEDBACK INCORPORATING REVIEW AND SIMULATION TECHNIQUES TO ACT ON CLINICAL TRENDS
Since 2008, research work has been completed with student nurses (Cooper et al 2010; Endacott et al 2010), student midwives (Scholes et al 2012; Cooper et al 2012), and qualified nurses working in a hospital setting (Buykx et al, 2011). Outcomes demonstrate that FIRST2ACT™ has an impact on decision making (Endacott 2012), educational outcomes (Kinsman et al 2012; Buykx et al 2011 and 2012), on teamwork (Cooper et al 2013; Missen et al 2013), and on clinical outcomes (Kinsman et al 2012; Cooper et al 2017).
The face-to-face program includes assessment tests, simulation and feedback techniques that are delivered to individual participants by a team of four/five lecturers over a 1.5 to 2 hour period. Overall, we found that participants had good theoretical knowledge but that they failed to respond appropriately, for example, as patients deteriorated and anxiety levels increased, performance and awareness of the situation significantly reduced and participants often erroneously fixated on a single issue. However, our findings also indicate that the educational experience, which included knowledge and simulation based skill tests (short 8 minute clinical examinations – OSCEs), reflection and feedback, had a significant impact on participants’ reported learning. Further, in recent studies with registered nurse teams, we included patient notes review and time series analysis, identifying a significant improvement in patient management skills (clinical impact) with significant improvements in the appropriate frequency of vital signs recording, charting of pain scores and delivery of oxygen (Kinsman et al 2012; Cooper et al 2017).
All materials used in the face-to-face program are available free and include knowledge tests, scenario templates, OSCE assessment templates, situation awareness measures, confidence and competence ratings. Download F2F materials and First2Act manual (Version 18).
Whilst our initial studies have been beneficial in understanding performance and decision making, the FIRST2ACT™ model is resource intensive. The FIRST2ACTweb™ program has therefore been developed to enable wider access to the program.
(Please see References under Publications)