Since 2014, the Nursing Development Unit (NDU) at NHCS has been conducting the Life Support Course, also known as the Basic Cardiac Life Support + Automated External Defibrillator (BCLS + AED) Course to equip staff with these essential life-saving skills.
The Life Support Course equips staff in life saving skills such as CPR and applying an AED.
When a person experiences a sudden cardiac arrest, the chance of survival drops every minute without intervention. Knowing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and how to apply an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) can drastically improve a person’s survival. While an AED delivers an electric shock to the heart to restore a normal rhythm shock, applying CPR in the absence of an AED is a fast and effective way to improve the chance of survival.
Since 2014, the Nursing Development Unit (NDU) at NHCS has been conducting the Life Support Course, also known as the Basic Cardiac Life Support + Automated External Defibrillator (BCLS + AED) Course to equip staff with these essential life-saving skills.
Come 2027, new regulations under the Healthcare Services Act will require all registered healthcare workers to maintain a valid BCLS + AED certification. As NHCS also provides BCLS + AED training for other SingHealth institutions such as Outram Community Hospital, SingHealth Community Hospitals and National Cancer Centre Singapore, there is an expected increase in demand for the course. Anticipating future needs, NDU formed Team Project-E to maximise course capacity and streamline processes.
Minimising Time, Maximising Participation
Tackling the delays in registration delays was the team’s priority. Previously, attendees had to register via email, and administrative staff managed the sign ups using an Excel sheet. This manual process involved back-and-forth of emails about general enquiries, available slots and rescheduling which led to delays. Since course readings were sent to registered participants only two weeks before the course, the delayed in registrations might result in some attendees not being able to receive these materials in time.
Hosting the course registration through FormSG helped with streamlining the sign-up process for both the participants and the administrative staff.
To solve this issue, course registration was moved online using FormSG. The online form included a link to a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page on NHCS website to address common questions participants might have before the course. By simplifying the sign-up process, the team saved an impressive 86 manhours per year and eliminated dropouts due to delayed email responses.
From Paper to Pixels
Another issue Team Project-E had faced was the use of hardcopy question and answer sheets for the course theory test. The method posed several logistical challenges such as ensuring the exact number of test printouts, rotating to the correct set of questions for different sessions, and manually marking each answer sheet. Additionally, storing the hardcopies for audit purposes was difficult due to space constraints and the risk of misplacements.
SingHealth’s Learning Management System now hosts the new and improved theory test, making the test taking and evaluation process more accessible and speedier.
“In this digital age, shifting the test online was the logical next step”, expressed team member, Zubaidah Binte Hassan, Nurse Clinician, Nursing Administration, “Using an online platform makes it more convenient for everyone”. The team proposed hosting the course theory test on SingHealth’s Learning Management System (LMS). This change eliminated logistical issues and allowed participants to receive their test results instantly. As a result, digitising the test papers saved a whopping 453 manhours per year.
Recognising Excellence
The members of Team Project-E (Row front, L-R): Jenna Chua, Poticar Mary Jane Seville, Nazeera Binte Hamzah, Lim Choon Chai, and Ann Chan. (Back row, L-R): Jonathan Sim and Zainab Binte Amat.
Team leader, Nazeera Binte Hamzah, Senior Associate Executive, NDU remarked, “Sometimes the simplest changes can make the biggest difference.” And what a change it made! By implementing these straightforward yet effective improvements, Team Project-E reduced the time for registration and test-taking by 55%, meeting their goals. These improvements also increased satisfaction among staff and participants.
The team’s efforts earned them a well-deserved Star Award at the recent Team Excellence Assessment. Kudos to Team Project-E!
Members of Team Project-E:
Team Facilitators:
Jonathan Sim Guan Hua (Assistant Director, Nursing, Nursing Administration)
Chua Lee Kheng (Assistant Director, Nursing, Nursing Development Unit)
Team Leader:
Nazeera Binte Hamzah (Senior Associate Executive, Nursing Development Unit)
Team Members:
Zainab Binte Amat (Nurse Clinician, Nursing Development Unit)
Ann Chan (Nurse Clinician, Cardiac Clinic)
Zubaidah Binte Hassan (Nurse Clinician, Nursing Administration)
Poticar Mary Jane Seville (Senior Staff Nurse, Nursing Administration)
Lim Choon Chai (Assistant Nurse Clinician. Nursing Development Unit)
Jenna Chua (Executive, Nursing Development Unit)