If you are considering becoming a health care professional, feeling confident in your abilities is a must. Katrina Ramsden, Clinical Skills Technician, explains how SPACE – a dedicated area where you can practice your skills and boost your confidence – will help you become the best healthcare professional you can be.
What is SPACE?
SPACE (Skills Practice and Care Enhancement) is a specially designed skills and simulation practice area specifically for students. It gives you the opportunity to perform and perfect an extensive number of clinical skills in a safe and supportive environment. You can practise procedures as many times as you need to, which is particularly useful to build your confidence before your placements begin. It offers a relaxing environment for you to flourish in, either working alone or with your peers, and without your lecturers watching over you.
What can I do in SPACE?
There are over 100 clinical procedures to choose from, so you can work your way through at your own pace. You may want to practise performing blood pressure checks, catheterisation, cannulation, or wound care, or rehearse different scenarios such as advanced life support or birthing a baby.
There's a variety of equipment available to use, including high quality simulators, a range of manikins, ALSi Simulated Patient Monitors and a number of different trainers and anatomical models, to assist in your clinical development.
In the authentic hospital area, we have a state of the art Sim Man and a brand new Paediatric Hal. These are advanced simulation trainers that allow you to practise life-like patient care scenarios. You can check for their pulse in different places, practise cannulation and more.
We also have a specialised Dementia Ward area with our resident patient Audrey, whose presence encourages everyone to explore safely and understand the complexities of how to care for a patient living with dementia.
Whatever you want to do, there is always a technician on hand to help, so you’re never alone.
Who can use it?
Anyone that needs to! Whichever course you’ve chosen to study (Diagnostic Radiography, Midwifery, Nursing, Operating Department Practice, Paramedic Science, Radiotherapy, or Speech and Language Therapy), you’ll be working with patients on a regular basis. There are some skills that all health professionals need (including basic life support), and others that are more specific to your chosen profession. Whatever clinical skill you need to tackle, we’ll get you feeling proficient in no time.
Where is it?
SPACE is located at 12 Harborne Road – a short walk from our City South Campus. We’re open Monday to Friday (10am-4pm) and booking is required. Our busiest times are usually just before placements begin, and in the run up to practical examinations, referred to as OSCEs (Objective Structured Clinical Examination), so coming early is always recommended.