Skills Laboratories
Canterbury Christ Church University skills laboratories are multidisciplinary educational facilities that are used to enhance (clinical) skills training for health and social care personnel.
Prior to the advent of the modern skills laboratory most practice related teaching was carried out in actual clinical settings with patients used as the main teaching aids. This was not always appropriate, especially for the learning of new skills, as it placed both students and patients potentially at risk.
Canterbury Christ Church University has three well equipped Skills laboratories, located on its Broadstairs, Canterbury and Chatham campuses, which provide an integral part of the teaching component of programmes within the Faculty of Health and Social Care. The first laboratory to be established was on the Canterbury campus in 2001, followed by Broadstairs (nursing only) in 2002 and Chatham in 2004.
Each laboratory is well equipped with training aids such as simulators and replicates both the hospital and community setting. The laboratory at Chatham is also equipped to a high specification with radiography and occupational therapy suites.
Facilities
The laboratories are divided into specialist practice areas for skills development in nursing (adult, child and mental health), midwifery, operating department practice, occupational therapy and radiography.
In addition, ward areas to replicate the hospital setting are complete with hospital beds, lockers, nurse call system, hoists and patient monitoring equipment similar to the facilities found in a hospital environment.
The Canterbury and Chatham laboratories each have community areas consisting of a fully equipped bedroom, bathroom and kitchen to reflect the home setting. Dedicated workshops for teaching the development of woodworking or creative skills and for undertaking vocational and occupational assessment are integral.
Each laboratory has teaching and discussion areas (fitted with power point projectors) where group debate can take place. In addition, the Canterbury and Chatham laboratories have video cameras and microphones in situ so that audio visual recordings can be made. This is of particular use for assessing students in relation to OSCEs.
Each skill laboratory houses a variety of computer assisted learning packages, and have access to the World Wide Web and Clinic, in line with contemporary practice in learning and teaching. Most recent acquisitions include two SimMan simulators (Housed in Canterbury and Chatham) with ancillary modules and additional medical imaging equipment to meet the needs of qualified practitioners.
Each site has excellent technician support by way of a dedicated Faculty of Health and Social Care team of technicians. Faculty technicians co-ordinate skills laboratory teaching by preparing the area and equipment and providing demonstration support. They are also responsible for managing consumables and ensuring stock control.
Skills Learning and Teaching
The skills laboratories provide students and practitioners the opportunity to practice clinical and other techniques, in order to gain competence and confidence in skill acquisition from the start of training through to the development of advanced skills. Learning new or 'brushing up' on infrequently used skills is more effectively accomplished in a nonthreatening environment which is designed to be a 'real life' representation.
As the skills laboratories also house computerised equipment and seminar rooms, theoretical aspects of learning can be integrated with practice, thus providing the ideal environment for the integration of theory and experiential learning, without fear of harming a real patient or fear of failure.
Students or practitioners can learn under supervision and be assessed within the skills laboratories. Learners can be taught and supervised either on a one to one basis or more usually in small groups and they are able to develop a variety of perspectives including that of being a patient, a carer or a health professional.
The skills laboratories at Canterbury Christ Church University provide an excellent, contemporary environment in which to learn.