Transition Education
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Hot link: Facilitated Debrief Calendar (under review)
Staff Responsible for the Transition Education Programs:
The Mackinnon Nursing Education and Development Centre (MNEDC) supports personal and professional development of all nursing staff and works with allied health professionals to assist with meeting learning needs.
The MNEDC supports designated programs including the Graduate Nurse Program, Career Advancement Year, Preceptorship, Paediatric Foundation Program and Sick Child Workshop. Education programs conducted through the CPC are based on adult learning principles and involve facilitated learning. The education programs provided through the MNEDC focus on supporting key nursing activities and initiatives at The Royal Childrens Hospital.
The MNEDC liaises with Nurse Unit Managers and the Clinical Nurse Educators and Facilitators to support the clinical units with educational needs. Additional educational activities include support for postgraduate programs, undergraduate placements, coordination of CPR assessors and the development of specific programs to meet the learning needs of staff at RCH eg CPR for Physiotherapy.
- Workshops and short courses
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Support
The MNEDC engages with nursing staff hospital wide on numerous educational initiatives, activities and projects.
Recognition of Unwell Child Workshop
Program Aims:
Recognition of Unwell Child Workshop is a program aimed at assisting participants in identifying clinical indicators for serious illness in children and managing the unwell child.ﾠﾠ
Program Description:
This is a one day interactive workshop aimed at assisting the practitioner in identifying the markers of serious illness in infants, children and adolescents. The bulk of the content is delivered in the form of pre-readings, with the aim of the workshop to consolidate and apply the knowledge gained. The opening session for the day is an overview of differences between adults and children and a brief session exploring the hospital's MET system and some of the lessons that have been learned about recognition and management of serious illness in children. Participants are then invited to engage in an interactive session utilising filmed examples of seriously unwell children and scenario based learning. Finally, participants team up for a fun-filled 'game-show' session to review and consolidate their learning. The cost of the day includes registration, all pre-readings and materials as well as lunch on the day.
The workshop is ideal for those with some experience in paediatric nursing who wish to further develop their assessment skills and knowledge. Please note that this workshop is no longer mandatory for all nurses every three years. This course may not be suitable for those with extensive paediatric nursing experience.
To apply:
| Workshop 1 - 13 April 2010 |
| Workshop 2 - 8 June 2010 |
| Workshop 3 - 10 August 2010 |
| Workshop 4 - 12 October 2010 |
| Workshop 5 - 7 December 2010 |
Download an application form. Please note that bookings will only be confirmed upon receipt of an application form. Phone bookings will not be taken.
For enquiries please contact Gemma Phipps on 9345 6716 or Bec Thornton on 9345 6353 or email mackinnon.education@rch.org.au.
Paediatric Foundation Program
Program aims:
The Paediatric Foundation Program aims to provide nurses with an overview of assessment, planning and management of care for the unwell child. Please be aware that this is a FOUNDATION program and is ideally suited to nurses new to the field of paediatric nursing, or those wishing to update their general paediatric nursing knowledge.
Program Description:
The Paediatric Foundation Program is conducted over five study days. The program considers the assessment and management of sick children as well as the psychosocial aspects of caring for the hospitalised child. Topics are presented by nurses and allied health professionals with in-depth experience in child health and there is a significant focus on providing current, evidence based information.
Examples of topics covered in the program include:
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Health assessment in infants, children and adolescents
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Respiratory assessment, common conditions and their management
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Cardiovascular assessment, common conditions and their management
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Neurological assessment, common conditions and their management
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Common paediatric presentations such as diabetes, eczema and burns
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Aspects of paediatric nursing care such as nutrition, fluid management and pain management
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Psychosocial aspects of caring for children and their families including play therapy, recognition of child abuse and care of the dying child.
To apply:
| PROGRAM 1 | PROGRAM 2 | PROGRAM 3 | PROGRAM 4 | PROGRAM 5 |
| Thurs 25/03/10 | Thurs 20/05/10 | Thurs 15/07/10 | Thurs 23/09/10 | Thurs 04/11/10 |
| Thurs 01/04/10 | Thurs 27/05/10 | Thurs 22/07/10 | Thurs 30/09/10 | Thurs 11/11/10 |
| Thurs 08/04/10 | Thurs 03/06/10 | Thurs 29/07/10 | Thurs 07/10/10 | Thurs 18/11/10 |
| Thurs 15/04/10 | Thurs 10/06/10 | Thurs 05/08/10 | Thurs 14/10/10 | Thurs 25/11/10 |
| Thurs 22/04/10 | Thurs 17/06/10 | Thurs 12/08/10 | Thurs 21/10/10 | Thurs 02/12/10 |
Download anﾠapplication form. Please note that bookings will only be confirmed upon receipt of an application form.ﾠ Phone bookings will not be taken.
For enquiries please contact Gemma Phipps on 9345 6716 or Bec Thornton on 9345 6353 or email mackinnon.education@rch.org.au.
Undergraduate Nurses
The Royal Children's Hospital provides approximately 1,000 undergraduate nursing student placements each year. Nursing students are provided with the opportunity to care for children and families in a supportive learning environment. Clinical placements are supported either as a preceptorship model or with a clinical teacher. The Royal Children's Hospital supports placements from approximately eight tertiary institutions. All placements are to be arranged between the parent University and RCH.
It is advised that clinical placement requests for the following year are to be forwarded to Mackinnon Nursing Education and Development Centre before 31 August.
For more information please contact Raelene McIntyre on 9345 5762 or email raelene.mcintyre@rch.org.au.
Graduate Nurse Program
The 12 month Graduate Nurse Program (GNP) at the Royal Children's Hospital exists to support newly registered nurses to make the transition from student to full time registered nurse, practising in the clinical environment, caring for sick children and their families. The program operates as an integral component of the organisation. The program is informed and influenced and responds to:
- the Royal Children's Hospitals strategic plan, vision, values and philosophy of care, including practice development
- the Nurse Policy Branch, Victorian Government Department of Human Services
- formative and summative, reflective and creative evaluation by registered nurses undertaking the program.
To facilitate transition and development, the program provides registered nurses with orientation, support via a preceptorship model enabling access to more experienced nurses for supervision, mentoring and on-going learning opportunities in a safe, high support, high challenge environment. Further enabled learning opportunities are incorporated into the program via regular study days.
Selection for the Graduate Nurse Program begins in July each year and candidates apply for places via the Nurse Computer Match Service, which is conducted by the Postgraduate Medical Council of Victoria.
Information regarding next year's program will be placed on the website as it becomes available. For more information please contact Gemma Phipps on 9345 6716 or email mackinnon.education@rch.org.au.
Career Advancement Year
The Career Advancement Year (CAY) is a 12 month program which aims to empower nurses to develop their knowledge, skills and attitude to enable the delivery of child-focused, family centred care which is reflective of the diversity apparent within the family structure.
Participants undertake two clinical rotations and are supported in their clinical experiences through a preceptorship model. Participants are enabled to develop health care links with the multi-disciplinary team, both within RCH and beyond to the community, toward an eventual goal of forging strong bonds with providers of care to the paediatric population.
The program uses an adult lifelong learning approach and offers a number of professional development days. There is a strong emphasis on developing inquiry, reflection and advocacy skills.
For more information regarding the CAY program please contact Bec Thornton on 9345 6353 or email bec.thornton@rch.org.au.