Training activity information
Details
Assist in the performance of diagnostic tests for patients presenting with complex needs including four of the following:
- Epilepsy
- Language barriers
- Dementia
- Hearing impairment
- Learning disabilities
- Mental health
- Motor impairment
- Physical disabilities
- Visual impairment
Type
Developmental training activity (DTA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee.
Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.
An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.
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 do you need to know before assisting with these tests?
- This includes understanding the specific needs and potential challenges of patients with the listed conditions, how these might impact the testing procedure and results, and strategies for effective communication and support.
- Consider the specific insights you hope to gain.
- Will you learn more about adapting standard testing protocols, communicating effectively with diverse patient groups, or managing challenging behaviours or situations?
- Think about your prior experience interacting with individuals with complex needs in a clinical setting.
- What skills and knowledge do you already possess, and where do you anticipate needing to develop further?
- Discuss this training activity with your training officer to understand which types of complex needs you are likely to encounter, any specific adaptations or considerations for those patients, and your role in assisting.
- Consider possible challenges you might face, such as communication barriers, difficulty obtaining accurate recordings, or managing patient anxiety or distress.
- Think about how you might prepare for these, for example, by researching specific communication techniques or familiarising yourself with relevant guidelines.
- Identify how you feel about assisting with tests for patients with complex needs. Reflect on any potential anxieties or uncertainties and how you can prepare yourself to provide sensitive and effective support.
In action
- Pay attention to your actions as you assist with the test.
- How are you interacting with the patient, considering their specific needs?
- What adaptations are being made to the standard testing procedure?
- How are you communicating with the patient and any caregivers present?
- What specific tasks are you performing to support the lead tester? Why are you assisting in this particular way?
- What decisions are being made and how are you contributing to them? For example, how are you helping to position the patient comfortably?
- How are you assisting with electrode placement, considering the patient’s limitations?
- How are you helping to manage any distress or anxiety the patient may be experiencing?
- What aspects of assisting with these tests feel more familiar, and what requires more conscious problem-solving due to the patient’s complex needs?
- How effective are the strategies being used to accommodate the patient’s needs and obtain reliable recordings?
- Are you observing any challenges related to the patient’s condition?
- Are the adaptations to the procedure proving successful?
- What specific challenges are arising due to the patient’s complex needs (e.g., communication difficulties, involuntary movements)? How are these challenges being addressed in the moment? What is your role in managing these challenges?
- What can you learn from this experience as it unfolds about testing patients with specific complex needs? Are you gaining insights into effective communication techniques? Are you learning how to adapt standard procedures safely and effectively?
- How does this activity connect to your existing knowledge of different complex needs and patient-centred care? Are you able to apply your understanding to this practical situation? Are you identifying areas where you need to learn more about specific conditions or communication strategies?
- Are there alternative approaches you could suggest or observe being used to better support the patient or improve the quality of the recording?
- Could a different communication method be tried? Could the testing environment be adjusted further?
- What support or guidance might you need in this moment if you are unsure how to best assist the patient or manage a particular situation?
- Would asking the lead tester for advice be appropriate now?
- Are you ensuring that all actions taken are within ethical guidelines and prioritise the patient’s well-being and comfort?
On action
- Summarise the key considerations and adaptations made while assisting with the diagnostic tests for patients with complex needs.
- What specific challenges did each patient present?
- What strategies were used to accommodate their needs?
- Reflect on your role and actions in supporting the lead tester and the patient. How did you contribute to ensuring the test was performed as effectively and comfortably as possible?
- What were your observations regarding the patients’ experiences during the testing process? How did their specific needs impact their ability to participate in the tests?
- Did you gain a better understanding of how to adapt standard procedures for patients with specific complex needs?
- Did you learn new communication techniques for interacting with these patient groups?
- Were there any unexpected challenges or successes in accommodating the patients’ needs? What did you learn from these?
- Did a particular adaptation prove more effective than anticipated? Did you encounter any unforeseen difficulties in communicating with a patient?
- In what ways did your reflection-in-action (during the activity) influence how you provided assistance? Did you adjust your approach based on the patient’s immediate responses or the lead tester’s instructions?
- How did this activity enhance your awareness of the importance of tailoring testing procedures?
- Do you need to learn more about specific complex conditions and their impact on testing?
- Do you want to improve your skills in communicating with patients who have communication barriers?
- Will you be more proactive in considering individual patient needs before and during testing?
- Will you be more adaptable in your approach to standard procedures?
- Will you research specific communication strategies for different patient groups?
- Will you seek opportunities to work with patients with a wider range of complex needs? Would it be beneficial to shadow colleagues who specialise in testing patients with complex needs?
- Are there any relevant guidelines or best practice documents you should review?
Beyond action
- Consider evaluating and re-evaluating your experiences of assisting with diagnostic tests for patients with complex needs.
- Have you reflected on specific patient interactions or adaptations that were made, considering what you have learned in other parts of your training?
- Compare these experiences with other situations where you have needed to adapt your communication or approach to accommodate individual patient needs, potentially in other training activities or experiences. What strategies have you found to be consistently effective?
- What observable practices for patient-centred care have you internalised?
- Revisiting your reflections from these experiences, what key learnings about providing inclusive and accessible testing stand out to you now?
- Recognise that assisting with these tests has broadened your understanding of patient-centred care.
- How has this experience influenced your general approach to preparing patients for tests and adapting procedures?
- How have you applied the communication skills and awareness of individual needs gained from these experiences in subsequent patient interactions, even with patients without the same specific complex needs?
- Consider how the learning from these experiences will support you in demonstrating effective communication and adaptation of procedures for diverse patient groups.
- Identify the transferable skills you are developing, such as empathy, adaptability, and effective communication in challenging situations.
- How will your experiences in accommodating patients with complex needs contribute to your ability to provide equitable and high-quality care in your future practice?
- Identify clear actions for continued development in working with patients with complex needs.
- What further learning or experiences will you seek out to enhance your skills in this area, perhaps focusing on specific conditions or communication techniques?
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 2 |
Outcome
Prepare and set up the test environment and patient for different electrophysiological tests. |
| # 3 |
Outcome
Perform recordings of the electrophysiological tests and perform basic troubleshooting. |
| # 6 |
Outcome
Evaluate and incorporate local and ISCEV standards in practice. |
| # 7 |
Outcome
Employ effective communication with a range of individuals including the patient and the multidisciplinary team. |