Nursing staff at NHS Lanarkshire turned their talented hands to film-making to produce a fascinating DVD.
Colleagues from the health board’s older people’s directorate came up with the idea of making a film, and produced the scripts, to help with ongoing training of staff.
The film, “Who Cares? Caring with Dignity” has proved so successful it will now be used by other health boards and to train students and carers across Scotland.
Linda Taylor, deputy ward manager and link nurse at Udston Hospital, was one of the staff involved in the production of the DVD.
The Bellshill woman said: “At our group meetings we decided that a film showing some real life challenges that nurses face could help improve the way these situations are dealt with in future.
“We discussed our own experiences, and came up with scripts for the film.
“Staff can watch it in team meetings and then discuss what has happened and how the situation could have been dealt with better.”
After writing the scripts for the film, staff produced the DVD at the University of the West of Scotland, Hamilton Campus, Bell College with professional actors playing the parts of nursing medical staff and patients.
Colleagues will watch the DVD with their team leader and then discuss the scenarios and how things could have been done better to improve the experience of patients and their visitors.
Dale Bell, from Larkhall, who is a ward manager at Udston, said: “The feedback we’ve had has been very positive.
“It’s very professionally done and the situations, right down to the type of language used, is very realistic.
“Staff can recognise the situations shown and this reinforces why it is important to do things in a certain way for the benefit of the patient.
“I think the issues raised in the film are universal so it’s not just staff who work with older people who would benefit from watching it.”
The DVD was produced by NHS Lanarkshire in partnership with Connect in Care, a national project funded by NES, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS) and the Care Commission.
These national bodies have been so impressed with the DVD it is going to be used at other health boards in Scotland.
Copies of the DVD and facilitation pack can be requested by accessing the Latest Resources section of the
www.connect-in-care.net website.