Workload and Timescales

Many comments were received regarding the intensity of the workload and the timescales of the longer Hotspots interventions, which involved completing a number of modules, assignments and assessments. Key difficulties identified by respondents were the intensity/concentrated nature of the course, timescale and workload pressures.

PHT Intensity

Just under a third of staff in this cohort commented on the intensity of the Fast Track Programme. The course was structured such that there was some overlap of modules, so that students sometimes struggled to manage workload from more than one module at once, for example to revise for exams and write essays at the same time.

“it seemed very rushed as well, whether that was just because we had one course… running straight after the other one. We were trying to revise for the

Care of the Critically Ill exams while we were trying to do the Clinical (Decision) Making and then we had to try to write that essay, say while we were doing the Physical Assessment...” PHT 2004 Staff Interview 8

Two of the PHT 2004 managers also commented that their staff had found the workload heavy going.

In 2005 it seems that the elements of the programme were spaced out more so that there was some time between the end of one module and the beginning of the next. However, many participants commented on the intensity of the course and the difficulties of combining the demands of study, work and family life.

Timescale and workload pressures

Some staff commented that they had needed to complete a lot of extra practice for the History Taking and Physical Assessment module, in their own time. A number also commented that assignments were due very close together and that the OSCE for the Physical Assessment and the exam for the Care of the

Critically Ill Adult were within approximately 10 days of each other.

“I thought it could have been better organised. We seemed to have OSCEs and an assignment due in round about the same time and the re-takes of the OSCEs were due in the same time another essay was due in. I don’t know whether they could reschedule it so that you could have an essay at the beginning after one course has finished and then do another one at the end so that you’re not trying to get 2 in within a month of each other.” PHT 2005 Staff Interview 6

A smaller number of staff stated that the timescales and workloads were acceptable and that they were able to pace themselves to meet all necessary deadlines.

“As long as you prioritise and focus on each thing as it comes then it's not that bad. It was hard because of working full time as well but I think the way they were organised wasn’t that bad.” PHT 2005 Staff Interview 13

Those who had previously taken the Care of the Critically Ill Adult module acknowledged that not having to retake this exam had made their workload easier.

SUHT

Timescale and workload pressures

Few staff or managers from the SUHT 2004 cohort commented on workload or timescales, reflecting the fact that in this year Hotspots was used to fund mainly short courses. However, all of the SUHT 2005 staff Acuity cohort spoke about the difficulties they faced in combining the workload from the programme with their normal working duties and their home lives.

“I found it quite overwhelming at times” SUHT 2005 Staff Interview 2

“In terms of maybe timescales and the assessment load was quite hard work, especially I’ve got a family, so it was very hard work. I had two weeks to give both essays in and on top of the heavy workload at work as well.” SUHT 2005 Staff Interview 7

A number stated that they would have benefited from extra study days to enable them to work on assessments and do some extra reading, but they

acknowledged that this would be hard to accommodate within the demands of their busy roles.

“I couldn’t sit there and say I’ve already had a study day, I’ll roster another study day in order to then do my work, because that wasn’t feasible at the time” SUHT 2005 Staff Interview 9

Just under half of the cohort commented that although the original arrangement of one study day every one or two weeks worked well, the course had begun to drag with the introduction of extra days such as clinical skills facilitation and secondments with Outreach.

“The university taught days were perfect. It was, you know, one or two weeks in between each one, it was perfect. What hasn’t flowed as well are the Clinical Skills days which are dragged out through the summer and now we’ve got practice facilitators, you know, we were never informed that this was going to go on”. SUHT 2005 Staff Interview 2

In this context, it is also interesting to note that one staff member from the PHT 2004 Fast Track Programme and two staff from the SUHT 2005 Acuity

Programme mentioned that they were also undertaking other training courses at the time they were involved with Hotspots. This obviously added to their workload and stress levels.

“I think I’m juggling too many balls at the moment, but that’s probably because I’m not just doing that, I’m also doing a leadership programme” SUHT 2005 Staff Interview 4

4.3.2.3 Course Level