6626 Improving confidence in paediatric emergency medicine skills through workshop-based teaching

Objectives Clinicians working in the paediatric emergency department (PED) are often from different training backgrounds and experiences. Most have had minimal exposure to managing unwell children. Varying practices between adult and paediatric medicine, further add to this anxiety. Minor injuries constitute a large volume of attendances to PED. Managing these patients, in a swift and confident manner not only improves patient experiences but will also improve flow within ED. We developed a workshop- based course catered to healthcare professionals who work in PED to improve their confidence in the management of common childhood injuries. Methods This was a one day face-to-face multi-disciplinary course delivered via small group lectures, simulation and skills workshops. Anonymised pre and post course surveys were collected on the day. Attendees were asked to report pre and post course confidence in the management of common childhood injuries. Results 11 candidates attended this pilot workshop (50% SHO/Junior clinical fellow, 25% ED Nurses, 12.5% ENPs, 12.5% senior registrars). The vast majority (57%) reported working less than three days/month in PED. Pre-course survey findings revealed that only 25% felt confident in managing minor injuries in children. The remaining 75% reported low- neutral confidence. Attendees hoped to gain insight and confidence into the recognition, examination and management of injuries in children presenting to ED. We received very positive post-course feedback regarding the variety of topics and specialist speakers, particularly managing maxillofacial injuries. Attendees reported increased confidence in managing upper limb (82%), lower limb (70%) and maxillofacial (90%) injuries. The sessions on pain management, regional blocks and ketamine sedation were well received, with candidates reporting increased awareness of options available, recognising and troubleshooting complications associated with various methods. The large variety of topics and workshops were covered during the day, and candidates reported feeling pressured for time. They would have welcomed 'more time to practise', 'video explanation of procedure before attempting', allowing more time to 'slower pace' in the upper and lower limb injuries sessions. Conclusion PED presentations are incredibly diverse, influenced by anatomical and physiological development through the ages. This gives us a large variety of injury patterns. It is therefore vital to understand how to assess, recognise and manage injuries including working alongside other specialities to provide the best possible experience for the patient. Through this course and its workshop format delivery, our attendees left the course feeling more confident and empowered to manage common childhood injuries.