In November 2008, Heather Wharrad presented the paper, How easy is cross sector collaboration? A case study of the collaborative development of elearning in infection control, medicines and prescribing at the International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI 2008) in Madrid. A few days later, Heather attended a meeting of the HEA Health Sciences and Practice e-learning Special Interest Group at The University of the West of England, where she also presented [RLOs and a] Non medical prescribing course: a case study.
Publicity leaflets for LOLA were distributed at ALT-C held in Leeds September 2008 on the Elearning Resources for Health stand staffed by Heather Wharrad and colleagues from the School of Nursing's e-learning team.
LOLA's partner in the FE sector, Castle College, held a Staff Development Workshop in September 2008, at which Heather Wharrad presented Reusable Learning Objects and the LOLA Project to an enthusiastic response.
Heather Wharrad demonstrated several LOLA RLOs during the RLO-CETL's Wolfson Workshop held at CARET, Cambridge University in December 2007. Also in December, Heather and Jo Lymn presented a poster and paper, A repository of pharmacology multimedia learning objects for pre-registration and postregistration medical and nursing courses, at the British Pharmacological Society Meeting held in Brighton.
'Inspiring Researchers' was the topic of Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust's annual conference in June 2007. LOLA was represented by Stephen Timmons, who presented The development of Reusable Learning Objects in infection prevention and control.
On 5th January 2007, the Centre for Healthcare Associated Infections was launched at The University of Nottingham's Medical School with a major symposium. It featured distinguished external speakers giving a European perspective on the background to the problem of healthcare associated infections and a series of lectures from members of the Centre showcasing the research in Nottingham aimed at significantly reducing the problem. Guests to the symposium included the Chief Nursing Officer Professor Christine Beasley, Deputy Chief Medical Officers from England, Scotland and Wales, the UK Inspector of Microbiology and Infection Control Professor Brian Duerden, and senior figures from the Department of Health. A poster presenting the work being done on the LOLA project was among the twenty submitted, winning 2nd prize and a small bursary towards future conference attendance! (Flyers were also in demand on the day.)
Poster abstract:
Health care associated infection (HCAI) remains a major issue of patient safety and all healthcare workers (HCWs) face challenges to their practice in order to achieve and sustain a reduction in HCAIs. Historically, there has been insufficient education and training in the area of infection prevention and control. Consequently, there have been calls for NHS Trusts to review their policies on the provision of education and training on infection control procedures. Trusts are now responsible for ensuring that all HCWs are targeted by induction training and that HCWs who have day to day contact with patients are kept up to date on good infection prevention and control practice. The use of Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) specific to infection prevention and control can contribute to the education and training of HCWs. This poster provides examples of RLOs aimed at healthcare workers, pre-registration medical and nursing students and clinicians and includes evaluations of their use. (Posted 8/1/07; links amended 24/2/09)
Heather Wharrad, Richard Windle and Lucrezia Herman gave a presentation ‘RLOs are good for Health’ at the Collaborative e-Learning Symposium held at the Møller Centre, University of Cambridge on 22-23rd June 2006. The aim of the conference was to stimulate discussion around the twin themes of sustaining communities and supporting processes in e-learning with the focus very much on practical and pragmatic ideas and solutions. Professor Alison Richard, Vice Chancellor of University of Cambridge, gave the opening address, followed by key note lectures from Professor Tom Boyle (Director of the RLO-CETL), Sarah Currier (CD-LOR), Neil Ballantyne (Director of the Learning Exchange) and Charles Duncan (Director of Intrallect). Eduserv, which also funds LOLA, was the event's main sponsor. (Posted 30/8/06; links amended 24/2/09)
Joanne Lymn, a member of LOLA's project team, has received a 2006 Lord Dearing Award for Teaching and Learning. This is in recognition for her nationally recognised work in the area of non-medical prescribing. Her innovations in this field include the deployment and evaluation of several RLOs produced at the University of Nottingham. (Posted 28/8/06)
Heather Wharrad led a seminar (Crossing boundaries: collaborative development of RLOs) at the 1st Eduserv Foundation Symposium, Many for Many: Collaborative e-Resource Development and Use, 27th April 2005. Heather's slide presentation is available online. (Posted 9/3/06; links amended 24/2/09)
