As part of Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, AVM Services creates and conducts training courses for decontamination staff.
It is widely agreed that staff in decontamination departments fill one of the least recognised, yet most crucial roles within the healthcare industry. Without these team members, it would not be possible to provide the surgeries or procedures to those in need. However, while the staff in these roles may be familiar with the processes they perform, machines that are used and medical instruments or devices that are being reprocessed, many may not have a greater understanding of why the procedures have been developed to the ones performed today, or the theory and foundation behind the processes.
Understanding these concepts is a crucial part of providing context to the role performed, which is critical for recognising the importance of the roles and the staff that fill them. By giving staff a deeper understanding of the part played in the bigger picture of the healthcare industry, a sense of pride and interest can be cultivated. Providing this information to staff can also open the gateway to further advancement within a decontamination career and promote knowledge of the decontamination department as a whole. Educating those considering a role in Estates and Facilities may draw more people in, as some may not be aware of the importance of decontamination departments, and some may simply not be aware of their existence.
Given the demanding nature of a decontamination role and the need for a continuous service, training should be provided in a flexible and concise manner. After all, pausing SSD output to train all staff at once is not a practical nor feasible approach.
Cambridge University Hospitals believe that the answer lies in online training courses, which can be completed at a speed and time convenient to the user. These courses are comprised of short video modules (approximately fifteen minutes) and are designed to be accessible and appealing to users with varying levels of experience. The use of a narrator combined with visual animations and demonstrative footage lends itself to users whose first language is not English, while presenting challenging concepts in a digestible format.
CUH believes that by educating staff about the importance of their role, the background of quality management and the theory behind SSD procedures, staff will take pride in their role and consider taking the necessary steps to advancement in their decontamination career.
