A well-deserved congratulations to Elaine McGivern for winning the excellence in training and education category of the Community and Oral Health Staff Excellence Awards.
Elaine McGivern has led an innovative model of clinical education for physiotherapy students in the Brighton Rehabilitation Unit in 2021.
Director of Physiotherapy Steve Cameron said this 4:1 model has enabled significant increase in clinical placement opportunities (12 placements provided in 2020, 36 placements provided in 2021).
“Such a positive experience for so many physiotherapy students can have positive repercussions for future COH staff recruitment and retention opportunities,” Steve said.
“Elaine has demonstrated outstanding commitment to the development of this role, working tirelessly to maximise resources to support student learning and enable a seamless integration into the service delivery requirements of them on placement at Brighton.
“She has supported more junior physiotherapists to develop clinical education skills – capacity building these abilities through staff development at every opportunity.”
The service outcomes of the 4:1 model include:
- 40 per cent of the clinical caseload at Brighton Rehabilitation has student input by the final weeks of the placement. Patients report positive feedback of their involvement with students.
- This contribution enables increased adherence to evidence-based practice as there is now additional capacity for the physiotherapy team at Brighton to provide intensive task specific practice and push for improved patient rehabilitation outcomes
- 50+ additional treatment sessions are offered each month through the students’ innovative circuit-based group sessions, compared with usual practice.
Steve said further to her role at Brighton, Elaine has developed COH-wide student physiotherapy support opportunities – including peer supervision opportunities for other students that may be solo in other community services.
“Elaine cultivates a supportive learning environment for students, through excellent communication, genuine patient centred care, diligence and hard work,” he said.
The feedback received from students is glowing:
“Elaine has been so patient and approachable. I have learnt so much with her guidance and through the opportunity to have a placement with the physiotherapy team at Brighton.”