Abstract
Introduction: The terminology surrounding manual-handling equipment and discharge planning is rarely taught in medical school. Yet, it is crucial for medical staff, particularly those working on Care of the Elderly (COTE) wards, to comprehend these terms to accurately assess a patient's function and optimise discharge planning.
Methods: A 17-question survey was distributed to establish the baseline knowledge of medical staff in a district general hospital, with the aim of using PDSA (plan, do, study, act) cycles for improvement as needed. Following preliminary data analysis, a lunchtime hospital teaching session was designed to educate individuals on these key terms and equipment. Ten clinicians attended and took part in a mentimeter quiz reassessing knowledge post-teaching.
Results: Seventeen participants, ranging from physician associates and junior doctors to consultants, completed the initial survey anonymously. Knowledge varied widely, with scores ranging from 15% to 91%. All participants accurately identified a Zimmer frame, 15 (88%) correctly labelled a PAT slide and 13 (76%) a hoist. Reassuringly, all knew that the acronym “POC” stood for Package of Care. Poorly recognised equipment included turn discs, standing hoists and hover jacks. Furthermore, the term “reablement” and the healthboard-specific “complex needs booklet” lacked clear definitions. While many participants could define fast track discharge, they could not distinguish between the two types. The average score per question increased from 53% in the pre-teaching survey to 59% post-teaching, however this was not statistically significant (P=0.57).
Conclusions: Although medical staff were familiar with certain equipment, they lacked understanding of more specialist aspects of discharge planning and less commonly used equipment. Unfortunately, these results did not significantly change post-teaching, likely due to low attendance; however, we are hopeful that the survey distribution and teaching will spark discussion throughout the hospital. We have now adapted the teaching content into posters for the next PDSA cycle.