In June 2022, we received our 10,000th equipment and consumables order from Zach Buxton, Simulation Educator of the Ipswich Hospital Simulation Centre, West Moreton Health. This order marked a significant milestone in our pursuit of supporting Queensland Health by providing access to simulation equipment and maintenance support.
Zach received a pleasant surprise when, shortly after placing an order, he received an email from Dan Host, Advanced Technical Services Specialist. Dan reached out to Zach, letting him know we issued his Pocket Centre with an order of consumables valued at $50.
Our Pocket Centre Network provides access to high-quality simulation equipment, training resources and clinical networks to Pocket Centres across Queensland Health. Our network spans as far north as Thursday Island (Waiben) and as close as next door at the RBWH. We are very proud to support the education delivered throughout our network. Seeing this number tick over is a great reason to celebrate the fantastic work delivered all over Queensland.
In the spirit of this celebration, our Pocket Centre Lead, Kiralee Groom, interviewed Zach about the joys of being part of our Pocket Centre Network and the impact of having access to high-end equipment and regular maintenance support from our team.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
How has the equipment helped your Pocket Centre?
In the past 12 months, the Pocket Centre in Ipswich Hospital Simulation Centre has ordered 132 pieces of equipment. This equipment supports crucial courses on paediatric resuscitation, advanced life support, maternal emergencies, neonatal resuscitation, adult clinical deterioration and also an in situ simulation program covering a broad range of topics.
These courses have been accessed by 1140 staff and represent 3700 hours of education. On the other hand, the in situ simulation program has been accessed by 624 staff and represents 1350 hours of education.
This is just one example of how the Pocket Centre Network supports health services like ours to increase efficiencies through equipment loans. CSDS allows our health service to deliver a higher quality of education so that our staff can continue to provide the care that our community needs and deserves.
What has been your experience when dealing with CSDS?
It has been genuinely great to work with the team at CSDS. I‘m sure the equipment team probably does not get the spotlight as much as some of the flashier courses. However, they have honestly been an incredible resource for me and us here in West Moreton. I have been delivering simulation education in several roles for four years and as a Nurse/Simulation Educator over the last year. While exciting, the opportunity to establish the simulation service across West Moreton Health has been a daunting one. The support that CSDS has offered me as a novice simulation educator has been critical to our successes in the last 12 months. The equipment team at CSDS has also been incredibly responsive. They frequently reach out to offer Ultrasound Blue Phantoms, high-tech ultrasound simulators, and maintenance support.
Tell us about the impact of having access to CSDS equipment on your education delivery.
Accessing high-end equipment, which is often beyond the reach of individual health services, is a critical aspect of being part of the Pocket Centre Network.
The ability to utilise the Blue Phantom Transvaginal Ultrasound Part Task Trainers, expensive but critical part task trainers, has allowed our clinicians to hone their skills before performing on consumers. Because of limited opportunities to practice, having access to these part task trainers is important for us to gain and maintain our competence.
Vimedex 3D ultrasound simulator is another piece of expensive equipment we would not have access to because of the cost. We had hundreds of staff contact hours with Registrar training groups honing their skills on various ultrasound skills, including early pregnancy ultrasound and a range of abdominal, pulmonary and cardiac ultrasound skills.
Finally, high-fidelity manikins and part-task trainers are used for our Advanced Life Support, Paediatric Life Support, PROMPT, NeoResus, and other critical courses delivered by West Moreton Health.
