Work in action

Published: 05 December 2011

Orthopaedic and trauma practitioners competencies – nearly there, says SOTN committee member and project lead Mary Drozd

From draft to publication

A workshop this September at Bristol’s SOTN conference allowed us to circulate the draft version of these competencies, which yielded significant feedback from both national and international delegates.

We were also privileged to have National Casting Adviser Sue Miles join the competency group along with Clinical Practitioner Marion Williams, from Wales – their specialist knowledge and skills can only improve and strengthen a document that aims to be user friendly as well as a benchmark for high-quality, evidence-based competency levels for practitioners caring for our orthopaedic and trauma patients. 

This work is ongoing and we hope it will be ready for publication early in 2012.

The team

The competency development group members include: myself; past SOTN Chair and Head of Clinical Services at Nuffield Health Elaine Collins, Bristol; Teaching Fellow in Children’s and Adult Trauma and Orthopaedics Sonya Clarke, Northern Ireland; Clinical Nurse Specialist and Lecturer Beverley Wellington, Scotland; Clinical Practitioner Marion Williams, Wales; Consultant Nurse in Orthopaedics Sandra Flynn, Chester; Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Children’s Orthopaedics Elizabeth Wright, Southampton; Practice Placement Educator Jean Rogers, Stockport; National Casting Adviser Sue Miles and RCN Adviser Alan Dobson.

Watch this space.

Pin site consensus. Committee member and project lead Karen Hertz reports

External fixation and limb reconstruction procedures are a vital part of trauma and orthopaedic treatment and care, and have a massive physical and psychological impact on the patient. There is a pressing need for research that can drive future practice in this area.

In recognition of this need, SOTN brought together a group of multidisciplinary clinical experts for a consensus project, which included a meeting and subsequent survey. The resulting publication, offers guidance for the practice of pin site care based on expert opinion. It can be used to support clinicians in their day-to-day practice and is designed for those wishing to ensure their care delivery meets current views on practice, whether they care for orthopaedic patients with external fixation on a daily or intermittent basis.

Nurse-led services guidelines – online resource?

The Extended Scope Practitioners in Trauma and Orthopaedic Nursing (ESPITON) committee met at the end of July to agree the draft guidelines for nurse-led services that are currently being developed into an online resource. If you are interested in joining the group or for further information, contact Brian Lucas. (Email blucas@hotmail.co.uk).