Our nurses and training
We recognise that it is important that our staff have the appropriate level of knowledge, skill and ability to be able to provide good care to all patients, as well as support for their families and carers.
It is with this in mind that we have developed a whole range of training and support for both clinical and non-clinical staff to ensure that they are able to continually develop and grow in their roles.
Our clinical lead nurses
Based throughout the UK, Marie Curie’s clinical lead nurses coordinate the nursing services in their areas, supporting our nurses to deliver excellent standards of patient care.
These highly experienced nurses match Marie Curie Nurses’ skills to the changing care needs of patients to ensure they get the right level of care, at the right place and at the right time.
In addition to leading the planning and delivery of patient care, our clinical lead nurses each manage a team of senior nurses who provide clinical and professional leadership to Marie Curie Nurses in their region.
Training and assessment
Our strategy is to provide excellent education and training for our own staff so they are equipped to do their jobs well, and so we can meet the recommendations set out in the Department of Health Trust, Assurance and Safety White Paper .
All of our Registered Nurses receive a full induction and on-going supervision and assessment to ensure they provide high standards of palliative and end of life care.
More than 76% of our senior healthcare assistants have NVQ level 2 qualifications or above in palliative and end of life care.
Our senior health and personal care assistants have the same high level of education and training with additional social care modules to help them deliver a wide range of care to patients in their homes.
Healthcare Assistant Development Programme
We reviewed the role of the Healthcare Assistant (HCA) in the nursing service to determine what knowledge and skills they need to be able to do their job well and work independently in a patient’s home.
From this we developed a HCA code of conduct and a competency-based development programme which has been recognised as a customised award at BTEC Level 3 standard called Delivering Effective Palliative Care. This award, and the QCF Diploma in Health and Social Care, makes up our HCA Development Programme.
The HCA Development Programme is a distance-learning approach that uses multimedia, workbooks, online learning, skills assessments and other tools that enable us to reach all of our staff no matter where they live in the UK.
The programme also helps us to meet our regulatory requirements. The Care Quality Commission requires all staff working in health and social care to undertake a recognised vocational qualification.
Communication programme
We have developed a competency-based communication programme to meet the needs of our staff. This programme uses online modules developed through our online classroom and activity-based workshops.
Learning events
We run an annual programme of study days and courses in locations across the UK. These cover a wide range of topics such as:
- Training to be a Clinical Supervisor
- Loss, grief and bereavement
- Managing complex symptoms
Clinical skills online resources
We have developed online resources so staff can access information and update sessions as and when they need them.
These resources are available at all times within our online classroom and are based on self-directed study.
Resources are designed mainly for staff providing care to patients and many of these sessions involve an assessment at the end.
Topics covered include:
- Infection control in the community
- Oral care
- Syringe driver updates
Round-the-clock learning for staff
One of our strategic aims is to ensure that everyone working for Marie Curie has the skills, training and learning opportunities they need to do their job.
One of the ways we provide greater access to learning and reach more staff is through resources such as our online classroom. We are continually improving the site to ensure that it grows with the skills and expertise of our staff.
Do you work for Marie Curie? Log in to Learn and Develop @Marie Curie to get access to online development material.
