10 • O U
T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • M A R C H 2 0 2 1
COVID-19
Remote Learning Made Easy
Ideas Work
P r a c t i c a l p e a r l s f r o m y o u r c o l l e a g u e s
That
T
he coronavirus has forced us to change how
we present ongoing education for our med-
ical center's 120 perioperative team mem-
bers. Monthly staff education at our hospital used to
occur in a large conference room with multiple ses-
sions throughout the day, but COVID-19 safety man-
dates have put limitations on the number of individ-
uals allowed in a room. As a perioperative educator,
I found a way to use technology to enhance staff
education. On the days we start surgery late to
schedule staff education sessions, team members
report to their assigned operating rooms and I use
an online meeting platform to present remotely.
Each operating room team accesses the presenta-
tion through in-room computers and projects it onto
large flat screen monitors. I've discovered several
advantages to using this modified method of pre-
senting monthly education. Putting staff into small-
er, remote groups encourages everyone to speak up,
ask questions and not be influenced by a few large
personalities. I've also found that more interactive
conversations take place during the meetings and
noticed an increase in staff engagement following
the sessions. In the large group education setting,
many employees would sit only with friends, a
development that stifled active conversation. Having
staff members attend remote sessions with their
assigned operating room teams, which change
monthly, creates a multi-disciplinary and dynamic
learning environment.
Therese Ehr, RN, BSN
Kadlec Regional Medical Center
Richland, Wash.
therese.ehr@kadlec.org
EXTRA CREDIT The advantages of online education far exceed the disadvantages during these unprecedented times.
Kadlec
Regional
Medical
Center
