Using supported learning to ensure nurse recruits are skilled to care for acutely ill patients.

Recruiting registered nurses to acute care wards can be difficult as applicants often lack the necessary skills to work with acutely ill patients. To overcome this problem the Royal United Hospital Bath Trust set up an acute care training programme. Through partnership working between managers, clinical, education and human resource staff, it provides an opportunity for nurses to develop confidence and competence to meet the needs of the acutely ill.

Medical equipment. Devices and desires.

High-tech medical solutions need careful implementation to ensure optimum reliability and good patient care. Figures from the Medical Devices Agency show that a patient may be three to 10 times more at risk from user error than from faulty equipment. Informed equipment selection and user training is paying dividends in one trust.