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Resident Medical Officers…
Waikato Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre
Overview
The Skills Centre is a cooperative venture between the Waikato District Health Board and the
University of Auckland (Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences – Waikato Clinical School). It is
one of the leading centres in New Zealand where hands-on training takes place for both
undergraduate students and post-graduate health professionals (from basic level to
sophisticated advanced specialist training).
The well-equipped centre is available for all groups including nursing, medical, surgical, allied
health, general practice, paramedical and other community health groups.
Multi-disciplinary and inter-departmental skills-based workshops are encouraged by use of
regular simulated scenarios to improve team-work, leadership and decision making – and
ultimately patient safety. Having the centre on the hospital campus is a definite benefit as it
provides easy accessibility for all the key specialties, individuals, clinical instructors and loan
equipment.
As well as offering a variety of specific in-house courses, the Centre can be used by any health
professional or allied health group for any skills-based workshops, seminars or conferences.
Customised courses are often developed to meet specific new learning, skill acquisition, or skill-
maintenance needs of the varying health professional specialties in the region, as well as
providing niche courses for national and international participants.
PGY1 / PGY2 teaching sessions
As part of the weekly teaching programme, a number of specific hands-on sessions are
provided over the year for first and second year house officers. The aim of these is to
consolidate knowledge, and improve confidence and competence with key procedural skills that
house surgeons are expected to safely undertake in their day to day clinical practice.
These sessions are commonly led by specialist consultants or experienced registrars, and
topics are prioritized by the needs and input of the house surgeons and the requirements of the
organisation.
Skill Centre teaching sessions are primarily of a practical nature using part-task training models
and simulation. Topics typically include lumbar puncture, inter-costal drain insertion, urinary
catheterization, suturing, communication and leadership, plastering and other sessions
identified as useful for house surgeons throughout the year. In addition, all PGY1s will be
enrolled on to a one-day Level 7 CORE Resuscitation Course as part of their registration
requirement.
As a courtesy to instructors giving their time and sharing their knowledge, it is expected that
house surgeons will be on time for sessions and have protected education time with limited or
no interruption from clinical responsibilities and pagers.
The skills centre is available for anyone who wants to practice skills and consolidate knowledge.
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Resident Medical Officers...
General medicine
General Medicine is primarily an acute admitting service but we do have a limited outpatient service.
Waikato Hospital has a sub-specialty split of acute admissions into general medicine, cardiology and
respiratory. There is no acute geriatric service so general medicine takes acute elderly patients.
We now admit approximately 6000 patients a year with an average length of stay currently around
3.5 days. In 2011 the acute medical unit (AMU) opened along with 2 new 25 bedded medical wards.
The acute medical unit (AMU) is made up of three geographically separate areas - an assessment
area (consisting of two en suite single rooms and three consultation rooms), an 18 bed medical short
stay area and a single six-bedded chest pain area. Patients will have their primary hospital
assessment in the acute medical unit assessment area when they have been referred by a GP for a
medical assessment or when the patient is triaged by ED as being highly likely to require a medical
admission.
The new Acute Stroke Unit opened in 2013 and most stroke patients are admitted under the General
Medical Teams.
There are currently six general medical teams. Most teams are led by two consultants. There is a 6.0
FTE consultant allocation to cover the acute service. At present 14 consultants take part in the roster.
Most consultants have a sub-speciality interest and there is the opportunity for registrars to do sub-
speciality clinics in diabetes, endocrinology, infectious diseases and gastroenterology.
We have ten dedicated registrars covering the 6 medical teams and 2 AMU positions, with six team
house officers. The weekend roster is approximately 1:6. The run size is a category ‘C’. We have a
well-organised roster with support registrars covering Sunday. Registrars will do a set of nights every
quarter, with advanced trainees doing two sets of nights in a year.
We provide full orientation, a supportive environment with excellent teaching and protected training
time. The positions are recognised for basic training. Advanced training positions are also available.
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