Standard Precautions / Personal Protective Equipment

‘Standard precautions [formerly called universal precautions] are meant to reduce the risk of transmission of pathogens from both recognized and unrecognized sources. They are the basic level of infection control precautions which are used in the care of all patients’ (WHO 2007).

The aim of this module is to facilitate learning regarding the reasons for standard precautions and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in healthcare.

Clinical Skills

• Carole Loveridge (Lecturer in Women’s Health)

Launch this module

Rinne's & Weber's Tests

In clinical practice it is common to see patients complaining of hearing loss. It is useful to be able to have a simple test that can distinguish where the site of the cause of the hearing loss is. This can help guide the need for further examination, investigation and management.

The aim of this tutorial is to understand the purpose of Rinne’s test and Weber’s test and to understand when you would use it

Clinical Skills

• Dr Alan Stone (General Practitioner and Senior Clinical Tutor)

Launch this module

The Clinical Skills Centre

About the Clinical Skills Centre
The Clinical Skills Centre is located on the third floor of the Cochrane building, on the Heath Park Campus. The skills centre is equipped with realistic, anatomically correct models to assist in the teaching and practise of a wide range of procedural clinical skills. Teaching currently takes place in Year 2, and Year 3, with a range of practical skills being taught in a relaxed and student centred approach to learning. Small groups of students are led by experienced tutors, many from the Department of Anaesthetics and Intensive Care Medicine, and formatively assessed following the practical element of the session.

Self-directed Study
Students are required to access on line e-learning modules prior to attending timetables clinical skills teaching. These attractive, easy to follow modules provide key theoretical components of the clinical procedure, prior to the student attending the practical session. The e-learning modules are found within the ‘Clinical Skills Resources’ section of Learning Central (requires login).

Clinical Skills Modules

Revision Sessions
Revision sessions are often made available to students. These sessions are particularly useful to students approaching exams, or for those who may require a little more time to practise a skill, before attempting a supervised procedure in the Clinical setting. Access to the self booking system for revision sessions is found within the ‘Clinical Skills’ section of Learning Central. Dates will be posted nearer exam time, or when enough students request a session. We are currently in the process of setting up a Self-Directed clinical skills area in Ty Dewi Sant.

Please e-mail clinical skills manager/tutor Sian Williams if you require further information.

< About Sian Williams

Links
CETL Clinical Skills Video Tutorials
Clinical Skills Online (St. George's University)

Clinical Skills Laboratories Health and Safety Brief
Year 2 Student guide to Practical Skills Teaching 2011-2012
Year 3 Student guide to Practical Skills Teaching 2011-2012

Clinical Skills Modules

The Clinical Skills component of the curriculum, at present, makes most use of the School's e-learning provision. The focus on practical procedures has been successfully aided by the addition of accompanying self-directed  learning modules, for study prior to attending practical sessions, and in the lead-up to OSCE examinations.

Click on a thumbnail image to launch a module.
(PowerPoint source availability to be announced).

< Back to Module Categories 

Airway Management	Arterial Puncture	Basic Ward Monitoring	Blood Cultures
Blood Glucose Monitoring & Sliding Scale	Blood Pressure & Basic Physical Signs	BMI	Drug Calculation
ECG Recording	Female Catheterisation
Hand Hygiene	Handwashing, Gloving & Gowning	IV Drug Administration	IV Fluids & Pump Setup
Lumbar Puncture	Male Catheterisation	Nose, Throat & Skin Swabs	Clinical Waste Management
Pregnancy Testing	Personal Protective Equipment	Rinne's & Weber's	Safe Injection Administration
Safe Prescription Writing	Dealing With Sharps Injuries	Shock	Suturing
Urinalysis	Venepuncture	Venous Cannulation	Wound Assessment

  < Back to Module Categories

Enhancing Content Accessibility

MEDIC e-learning are to invest in a resources upgrade enabling the access to module content from platforms such as the iPad. The increased use of non-Adobe Flash enabled devices means focus has been directed on adapting development whilst maintaining the level of interactivity previously only possible through use of the Adobe Flash Player plugin. Students using the self directed learning area in the new Cochrane building have been making extensive use of the Clinical Skills modules for OSCE revision, with many frequently using iPads to do so.