Isopharm iLearn provides staff of all levels with full details of the decontamination processes undertaken by sterile services and endoscopy departments and is helping to shape the future of ongoing CPD, and staff development in decontamination.
Well trained staff are the backbone of every SSD and EDU in the UK. In-house and ‘on the job’ training is an imperative, as ultimately there is no better way to learn than expert knowledge being passed down to ensure the highest processing standards, providing safe devices for use on patients.
Ongoing training and development packages are the remit solely of the department to create themselves after a new staff member has undertaken industry recognised accredited courses, but with over 200+ departments in the UK that could equate to just as many training packages.
With this volume it does raise the question of consistency; what does training look like, what does it cover, how often is it reviewed, and who assesses the training? There is clearly a lot of hard work going on to create and deliver in-house training, but it can be fragmentary and, without any centralised point of reference, it can be hard to ensure that all topics are covered.
Standards and guidance documents only offer an overview of training. Having structure, content requirements and confirmation of frequency of training, as a minimum, would support every department and every member of staff working in decontamination.
It is also vital to capture the wealth of knowledge held by people across the devolved nations, even if their exact testing requirements may be slightly different. Building on this experience is as important as raising standards and developing new methodologies.
Launched in May 2021 – the Isopharm Hospital iLearn training platform provides much needed accredited CPD courses for staff working in Sterile Services and Endoscope Decontamination, encompassing topics to cover all aspects of decontamination, accessible via an annual subscription, online 24/7.
Decontamination supporting roles, such as Validation Engineers, are also provided with subjects and courses, as well as a wider range of courses for everyone – aimed at staff development, health and safety, medical emergencies and first aid in the workplace.
With over 70 courses available and new courses added every month, 25 NHS Trusts have already onboarded the platform – not only as part of their new staff induction and staff career development process, but also as part of their quality management system.
Decontamination CPD training
Isopharm iLearn provides staff of all levels with full details of the decontamination processes undertaken by Sterile Services and Endoscopy departments. Content provides the relevant background information, offering users an understanding of why processes are completed while outlining how they are performed to the required guidelines
Staff are often trained in how to complete tasks as part of their job description. The platform allows staff to learn about the other relevant areas of the process, understand the requirements of their colleague’s role, and ultimately understand how their role fits into the decontamination cycle.
Courses are predominantly compiled for Technician level, which aids in providing all roles with much-needed background knowledge. Supervisor level courses, which will expand on topics to support their role and encourage development, are being released later in the year.
Course content written by industry experts
The library of online courses is both written and reviewed by industry experts, and professionals from within healthcare decontamination, including front line staff in management roles and AE(D)s. Collectively, the group of experts assembled have more than 200 years’ worth of education, knowledge, development, and experience behind them, which ensures accurate information is the foundation for all training courses, backed up by the relevant industry guidance, standards, and best practice. Each topic is broken down into bitesize courses, allowing training to become a standard activity in a weekly work routine. Courses are no more than an hour long, and include content for individuals to read through, followed by an assessment to show understanding of the topic.
The assessment questions are reflective of the content and are displayed in either multiple choice questions or true/false statements. A minimum of 80% correct answers must be achieved to pass and be presented with a certificate, which is generated automatically and placed in the user’s account. This can be accessed any time. Incorrect answers are highlighted to promote further learning, and courses can be taken repeatedly if the first attempt is not successful.There is no limit to how many times a course can be taken, retaken, or accessed, which helps to encourage staff members to continue to refresh their knowledge, while broadening their understanding for other areas of decontamination.
Details of all categories and courses can be found on the Isopharm iLearn website and include:
- EDU & SSD Microbiology
- Endoscope Decontamination
- SSD Cleaning & Disinfection
- SSD Inspection, Assembly & Packaging
- SSD Sterilisation
- SSD Storage & Distribution
- EDU & SSD - QMS and Regulatory Considerations
Supporting decontamination staff and departments
Helping departments achieve their training requirements is the goal of Isopharm iLearn, with many courses being suggested by the growing community of users. On completion of each course, users have the option of providing feedback about their experience, which is then reviewed on a regular basis.
Providing staff with regular supportive training is extremely motivational; staff can see they are being invested in and it allows them to show development within their role. Staff working in decontamination all want to do a good job, the patient is the focus, and Isopharm iLearn will ultimately confirm their knowledge and improve job satisfaction. Providing documentation of training and development is essential as part of an appraisal process. The training platform supports staff with this requirement.
In many ways, Isopharm iLearn training also supports the process, the department, and the management team. Regular training will ensure staff are all accomplishing their roles effectively, which will reduce non-conformities. This, in turn, reduces staff turnover, ensuring the department retains knowledgeable trained staff.
Where staff engage well with the training platform, it sets a pathway for career progression, allowing the management team to identify a succession plan and gives staff members a direction to work towards.
The most important part of the decontamination process is the patient. To ensure we are all providing the highest level of service and to ensure patient safety, we all need to make training a priority.
More details of the course content and upcoming courses can all be found on the Isopharm iLearn website.
Website: https://hospitalilearn.agiliosoftware.com/
Email: hospital-ilearn@ agiliosoftware.com
Isopharm
79 Leigh Street, Sheffield S9 2PR Tel: +44 (0)330 165 9717 E: hospital-ilearn@agilosoftware.com https://hospital-ilearn.agiliosoftware.com/
