Critically evaluate personal competencies and skills and prepare Action Plans for enhancement.

Module Aim

To be competent in the role of the Surgical First Assistant.

Module Outcomes

At the end of the module you should be able to:

Personal and Transferable Skills

1. Critically evaluate personal competencies and skills and prepare Action Plans for enhancement.
2. Maintain confidential information and accurate documentation.
3. Demonstrate the ability to work effectively in teams engaging in clinical discussions, presenting arguments in a logical and professional manner. Facilitate a culture of communication and team working.
4. Reflect systematically and critically evaluate own performance.

Research, Knowledge and Cognitive Skills

1. Demonstrate a critical understanding and application of evidence-based practice to surgical interventions.
2. Demonstrate a critical and comprehensive understanding of the key concepts that support the provision of patient safe care whilst performing the SFA role.
3. Demonstrate competency in the use and application of a wide range of surgical instrumentation techniques within the role of a Surgical First Assistant.

Professional Skills

1. Systematically and critically evaluate the ethical and legal implications underpinning practice.
2. Evaluate performance in the application of specialist knowledge and skills required to undertake the role of the Surgical First Assistant.
3. Demonstrate intellectual flexibility, critical thinking and clinical decision-making skills.
4. Critically analyse and evaluate current policy and pertinent evidence related to the role of the Surgical First Assistant.

Module Content and Timetable

The module time table will be given to you by the module leader on day one of the course.  This may also be found on BMiLearn.

Learning and Teaching Strategies

A range of learning and teaching strategies will be utilised throughout the module.  Key lectures will be delivered by practitioners with expert knowledge of the topic.  This will be further discussed within seminar groups and students will discuss the topics and how the theory applies to the work place. Students will be encouraged to participate in a range of learning experiences including lectures, seminars and work based learning facilitated by their Practice Mentor and Clinical Supervisor.  Distance learning will enable the student to set their own pace of study, providing a flexible learning environment. 

Individual tutorials will be available to help learners with the theoretical and practice component and their academic writing.  In addition regular feedback on performance and completion of practice-based competencies will be determined by the learnersMentorand Supervisor.

Academic Support and Guidance

You will receive ongoing support throughout the module; this will be online through BMI learn. There will be an opportunity to discuss your summative assignment with the module tutor and 10% of your work can be read by the module leader and feedback provided. This can be done up to two weeks before submission.

Assessment Strategy

This module is assessed using summative assessment. The summative assessment consists of two components:

Component 1 Competency workbook (Pass/Fail): Completion of the competency workbook.  To be completed by the learner, the clinical supervisor and mentor.  To include the completion of a log book, to demonstrate 100 hours of assisting, as a trainee surgical first assistant.

Component 2 Reflective Case study (100%):

A 3000 word reflective case study, using an identified model of reflection, based on a patient care scenario/case study, the student has participated in during the module, exploring the role of the SFA and how this is supported by evidence based practice.

The students will have to gain patient consent in line with Teesside University Consent Regulations and failure to provide a consent form will result in automatic failure.

To ensure comprehensive competency development in terms of applying theory to practice, both assessments must be passed.

Summative assessment deadline	Will take place on week 48 of the module
First attempt Assessment deadline	21st July 2021
Results published subject to exam board ratification	18th August 2021
Reassessment	4 weeks following the assessment board. Notified through E-vision

Submission will be electronic to the University blackboard site.

Feedback will be available on the E-feedback system approximately 4 weeks after submission.

Any requests for an extension due to extenuating circumstances must be made no later than 2 weeks before the submission date.  Requests must be sent to [email protected] using the appropriate form, which can be found on the University’s Blackboard page.

Evaluation Strategy

Module feedback is welcome and actively encouraged and the School of Health & Social Care and BMI Healthcare rely on student feedback as a key method of assuring and enhancing the quality of your learning and teaching experiences.  Your feedback is very important to us and we will invite you to give constructive feedback on the module.  This is undertaken via BMiLearn.

Indicative Resources

You are encouraged to utilise the University’s library resources on line as there are a vast range of e-books and on line journals that you can access at a distance with your University IT account.

The reading list is available on the blackboard site at Teesside University.

Clinical Competency Assessment Process

During the learning process you will be observed performing practical clinical skills and you will be required to provide supporting underpinning theory for your practice.  You will be assessed using the Benner grading system as set out below.

To be deemed competent you must achieve a level 3 on your final assessment.  Achievement of a pass at level 3 will necessitate a further assessment within 6 months to review attainment of level 4 competence.

Level of Achievement Cannot perform this activity satisfactorily to participate in the clinical environment.  0   Can perform activity, but not without constant supervision and some assistance.  1   Can perform this activity satisfactorily, but requires some supervision and assistance.  2   Can perform this activity satisfactorily without assistance and/or supervision (conscious competence)  3   Can perform this activity satisfactorily without supervision or assistance with more than acceptable speed and quality of work (unconscious competence)  4   Can perform this activity satisfactorily with more than acceptable speed and quality and with initiative and adaptability to special problem situations.  5   Can perform this activity with more than acceptable speed and quality with initiative and adaptability and can lead others in performing this task.  6

Adapted from FEU Pickup Report – Competency Based Vocational Education (1987)

Participant Signature Sheet

Trainee SFA

The trainee SFA will be a Registered Nurse or Registered Operating Department Practitioner.  They will have gained a minimum of two years scrub experience and will have evidence of their continuing professional development, including completion of their scrub competencies. The trainee SFA will have full support from their line-manger and will have identified a suitable clinical supervisor and mentor.

Clinical Supervisor

This must be a consultant surgeon. 

Mentor

This must be a senior registered RN/ODP that has undergone a recognised training route to become a mentor.  This is either by an academic mentorship course or similar internal mentorship course. The mentor should be a surgical first assistant or be familiar with issues surrounding the roles of expanded practice.

Student Name:	Signature	Initials
Clinical Supervisor Name:	Signature	Initials
SFAMentorName:	Signature	Initials