Training activity information
Details
Prepare hypo/hyperthermia heating unit and ensure accurate monitoring of the patient’s temperature, to include:
- Skin
- Core
Type
Entrustable training activity (ETA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee repeatedly, consistently, and effectively over time, in a range of situations. This may include occasions where the trainee has not successfully achieved the outcome of the activity themselves. For example, because it was not appropriate to undertake the task in the circumstances or the trainees recognised their own limitations and sought help or advice to ensure the activity reached an appropriate conclusion.
Reflection at multiple timepoints on the trainee learning journey for this activity.
Considerations
- Limitations of techniques
- SOPs
- Local and national guidance
- Interpretation of diagnostic values
- Patient centred care and support
- Communication with patients, relatives and the clinical team
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
What does success look like?
- Identify what is expected of you in relation to preparing temperature management units and monitoring patient temperature accurately, including troubleshooting reported inaccurate measurement of a temperature probe.
- Consider how the learning outcomes apply, specifically in relation to applying techniques to monitor temperature and practicing safely.
- Discuss with your training officer to gain clarity of what is expected of you in relation to specific criteria defining successful preparation of the unit and accurate temperature monitoring.
What is your prior experience of this activity?
- Think about what you already know about patient temperature regulation, different temperature monitoring sites (skin vs core), and therapeutic temperature management principles.
- Consider possible challenges you might face during the activity, such as obtaining an accurate core temperature reading, managing skin integrity with surface cooling/warming, or troubleshooting probe issues.
- Recognise the scope of your own practice for this activity i.e. know when you will need to seek advice or help, and from whom. You will need to seek advice from your Training Officer when required, for example if you cannot resolve issues related to obtaining an accurate core temperature reading or technical faults with the unit.
- Acknowledge how you feel about preparing the hypo/hyperthermia heating unit. How confident do you feel in being able to accurately monito the patient’s core and skin temperature?
What do you anticipate you will learn from the experience?
- Consider the specific skills you want to develop, such as setting up and using temperature management units and monitoring probes effectively.
- Identify the specific insights you hope to gain into factors affecting temperature probe accuracy or the clinical application of therapeutic hypothermia/hyperthermia.
What additional considerations do you need to make?
- Consult actions identified following previous experiences of this activity or similar tasks.
- Identify important information you need to consider before embarking on the activity, such as device-specific instructions, probe placement guidelines, safety precautions with temperature management units, or target temperature ranges.
In action
Is anything unexpected occurring?
- Are you noticing anything surprising or different from what you anticipate whilst setting up or monitoring patient temperature?
- Are you encountering situations such as:
- You get unexpected temperature readings (e.g., probe reading inconsistent with clinical state, large difference between skin/core)?
- You encounter technical issues with the heating unit (e.g., alarms, inability to reach target temperature) or temperature probes (e.g., dislodgement, faulty reading)?
- Setting up and managing this temperature control/monitoring compares differently to previous experiences?
How are you reacting to the unexpected development?
- How is this impacting your actions? For example, are you responding to the situation appropriately? Are you adapting or changing your approach to troubleshooting by checking probe position/type, connections, or unit settings if readings were unexpected or equipment malfunctioned? Did encountering issues affect your ability to ensure accurate temperature monitoring independently?
- Consider the steps you are taking in the moment, such as checking probe position/type, connections, or unit settings if readings were unexpected or equipment malfunctioned.
- How are you feeling in that moment? For instance, are you finding it difficult to deal with unexpected temperature readings or equipment problems? Is it affecting your confidence in ensuring accurate temperature monitoring independently?
What is the conclusion or outcome?
- Identify how you are working within your scope of practice. For example, are you successfully setting up temperature control and monitoring, ensuring accuracy and patient safety, while working within your scope of practice? Or are you needing support because you are unable to resolve the technical fault with the heating unit or the discrepancy in core temperature measurement requires senior clinical guidance?
- What are you learning as a result of the unexpected development? For example, are you mastering a technique for troubleshooting temperature probes or managing the hypo/hyperthermia unit from the unexpected event?
On action
What happened?
- Begin by summarising the key steps you took when preparing the hypo/hyperthermia heating unit and ensuring accurate temperature monitoring.
- Consider specific events, actions, or interactions which felt important, such as correctly positioning a core temperature probe or setting the target temperature on the unit.
- Include any ‘reflect-in-action’ moments where you had to adapt to the situation as it unfolded, for instance, immediately troubleshooting a reported inaccurate measurement of a temperature probe by checking its insertion depth and connection integrity.
- How did you feel during this experience, e.g., did you feel focused on patient safety and accurate monitoring or challenged by the technical issue?
How has this experience contributed to your developing practice?
- Identify what learning you can take from this experience regarding preparing the unit and ensuring accurate temperature monitoring. What strengths did you demonstrate, e.g., meticulous adherence to safety precautions when operating the heating unit?
- What skills and/or knowledge gaps were evident, e.g., uncertainty about the specific methodologies used in different temperature measurement sites (skin vs. core)?
- Compare this experience against previous engagement with similar activities – were any previously identified actions for development achieved? Has your practice improved in applying techniques to monitor temperature?
- Identify any challenges you experienced, such as needing to seek advice or clarification on scope of practice regarding the requirement to troubleshoot reported inaccurate measurement of temperature probe that persisted despite routine checks, and how you reacted to this.
What will you take from the experience moving forward?
- Identify the actions or ‘next steps’ you will now take to support the assimilation of what you have learnt, including from any feedback you have received, with regards to reviewing the principles of temperature measurement and the use of hypo/hyperthermia units.
- What will you do differently next time you approach temperature monitoring, for instance, by proactively checking the unit’s calibration status before connecting it to the patient?
- Do you need to practise any aspect of the activity further, such as troubleshooting reported inaccurate measurement of temperature probe or key learning outcomes related to applying techniques to monitor temperature?
Beyond action
Have you revisited the experiences?
- How have your subsequent experiences of troubleshooting monitoring equipment or managing core temperature regulation in critically ill patients since completing this specific training activity led you to revisit your initial approach or decisions during that activity? For example, encountering persistent sensor drift forced you to re-evaluate the meticulousness of your probe positioning and connection checks during your first attempt at this training activity.
- Considering what you understand about temperature measurement principles, thermal safety, and the use of hypo/hyperthermia units now, were the actions or considerations you identified after your initial reflection on this training activity sufficient? How have you since implemented or adapted improvements in your preparation and accurate monitoring of patient temperature based on further learning and experiences? For example, how you proactively refined your approach to managing electrical and infection control risks when setting up and using temperature management units based on further learning.
- Has discussing reported inaccurate measurement of temperature probe or the impact of inaccurate temperature data on therapeutic management with colleagues, peers, or supervisors changed how you now view your initial experience in this training activity? For example, how professional storytelling with a senior clinician about a case where probe displacement led to clinical mismanagement refined your understanding of the critical importance of monitoring accuracy.
How have these experiences impacted upon current practice?
- How has the learning from this initial training activity, in combination with subsequent temperature management experiences, contributed to your overall confidence and ability in equipment setup, ensuring sensor accuracy, and troubleshooting temperature probe issues, particularly in preparing for assessments like DOPS or OCEs? For example, how your accumulated technical skills in equipment setup, understanding measurement principles, and troubleshooting probe issues now enables you to confidently troubleshoot reported inaccurate measurement of a temperature probe during a DOPS assessment.
- How has reflecting back on this specific training activity, combined with everything you’ve learned since, shaped your current approach to temperature monitoring and unit preparation? How does this evolved understanding help you identify when something is beyond your scope of practice or requires escalation? For example, how your evolved approach means you now routinely seek advice from the Training Officer or Technical Specialist immediately when a persistent technical fault with the hypo/hyperthermia unit or an unresolvable core temperature reading discrepancy occurs, recognising this requires specialist technical or medical input.
- Looking holistically at your training journey, how has this initial temperature management unit preparation experience, revisited with your current perspective, contributed to your development in meeting the learning outcomes related to applying techniques to monitor temperature and practising safely? For example, how this foundational experience has supported your development in improving equipment management skills and understanding measurement principles across various critical care monitoring domains.
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 6 |
Outcome
Apply techniques to monitor temperature in critically ill patients. |
| # 8 |
Outcome
Practice safely in accordance with guidance and legislation to minimise risk in all elements of patient care. |